Skyrim Book II: Mari
by gypsybee09
Summary: Mari, an Altmer mage, and her siblings fled Aldmeris for Skyrim, seeking asylum from the Thalmor. They were separated, and Mari, wounded, wandered through the snow-covered wilderness, lost and disoriented. Her search for her siblings and a life for herself takes her on adventures in places she never would have imagined. The Divines have big plans for Mari.
1. Grave Ends and Awakenings

Part I: Last Seed

Chapter One: Grave Ends and Awakenings (Sundas, 17th of Last Seed; Morndas, 18th of Last Seed; Turdas, 21st of Last Seed)

The woman stumbled through the snow-covered ground, wincing with every step. She wasn't dressed for the cold, and her feet had gone numb long ago. Her entire body ached, and the wound in her abdomen was bleeding heavily, leaving a trail through the snow behind her. She wasn't sure how long she could carry on like that. She had no idea where she was or even where she was headed. She'd been bleeding out for hours and could feel her strength fading. She had no clue what had become of her siblings when they'd gotten caught up in the fray and wished she was more familiar with the fauna of Skyrim. At least then she'd possibly be able to make herself some sort of poultice for her wound. Not that she could find anything in the dark or the snow anyway, but she was far too weak to successfully perform any healing spell on herself.

The snow thinned, hinting that she was approaching a lower altitude, and the air around her began to warm although it was now full of moisture, and she found her breathing even more labored.

Lights began to appear through the trees, flickering braziers and fires of some sort. A village?

She made her way slowly toward the lights but each step became more difficult.

Finally, she decided to rest against a tall stone she encountered.

"Just for a few moments," she muttered to herself. "I'll just close my eyes for a few moments . . . then I'll continue."

But within herself, she knew that wasn't true. She had no strength left.

Realizing the stone she rested against was a grave marker, she began to recognize the shapes of others around her in the dark. How fitting she'd spend the last of her living hours in a cemetery. The irony . . .

* * *

She opened her eyes. Her vision was blurred, and she felt like she was burning up. A face appeared above her. Her father? No. The voice was different.

"Shhhh, it's alright, my child," the voice comforted. "You're safe. Rest. Rest and heal."

Rest. That sounded nice. Her eyes slowly closed again.

* * *

She was in a bed. That much she could tell without even opening her eyes. When she did so though, she could see she was no longer in the cold forest or a damp cemetery but rather in a warm, dry home of some sort. She lie in a small, fur-covered bed, and the room was partially illuminated by a roaring fire in a hearth nearby.

Forcing herself to sit up, she inspected her wound and realized it had been treated and dressed. A bowl of partially eaten soup sat on a table beside the bed as well as a mug of some sort of liquid. Someone had been caring for her. They had found her, brought her inside, and nursed her back to health.

But who was it? Were they friendly? And where was she?

Voices on the other side of a wooden door led her to realize she may get the answers to those questions sooner rather than later.

The door opened, letting in a bit more light from what appeared to be outside. A tall, aged Altmer man entered the room, dressed in a long, dark robe. For a moment, she panicked. Had she been captured by the Thalmor after all?

No . . . that didn't make sense. The Thalmor would certainly not nurse her back to health. If she died on her own, they would've seen it as a favor from the gods. Furthermore, his robes looked nothing like the ornate ones worn by Thalmor judiciaries but rather the simple adornment of a priest of one of the divines.

"You're awake!" he said, sounding quite pleased. "Please don't fear me. I am a friend. I only wish to see you back to full health and on your feet again."

"Where am I?" she asked as he sat in a chair near the bed.

"You are in the town of Falkreath, capital of Falkreath Hold in Skyrim," he replied. "More specifically, in my home which also serves as the Hall of the Dead for our community," he waved toward a shrine and some benches on the opposite end of the room, "for I am a priest of Arkay, and our town is a simple one."

"Priest of Arkay?" she asked, trying to make sense of everything in her sleep-addled brain.

"Yes. My name is Runil," the old elf answered with a soft smile. "I am a priest of Arkay and serve Falkreath, tending to their dead and the large cemetery here. Do you feel like you could stomach some more soup? Kust made it specifically for you under my directions. It's full of healing herbs and protein-rich sources."

The woman stared at the bowl apprehensively.

"I assure you, child, you can trust me," Runil insisted. "I promise you, I mean you no harm. If I had, you wouldn't have made it this far into your recovery."

"I'm not exactly in the best place at the moment to be trusting strangers, especially those of my own kind," she replied.

"That may be the case, but you'll find you don't have much of a choice than to put some trust in me in your current predicament." He was quiet for a few moments, appearing thoughtful. "Perhaps if I tell you my own story it would help.

"I was born and raised on the Summerset Isles," he began, "not far from the city of Firsthold on Auridon. I trained at the college there and grew into a rather talented mage, quite advanced in the school of destruction magics. I served as a battlemage for the Aldmeri Dominion during the Great War. When the war ended, I wished to return to my home and hang up my robes, live a peaceful life after all the death and destruction I had witnessed at my own hand. I can still smell the burning flesh of the men I killed." He shook his head, as if shaking away some old memory. "The Thalmor had other ideas, however, and when I refused to continue serving them, I was named a traitor. I'd never committed a traitorous act against the Dominion in my life, yet because I refused to do their bidding and wanted to be left alone, I became a fugitive. I fled Aldmeris for the mainland and eventually ended up in Skyrim. The cemetery here in Falkreath seemed to call to me. So many warriors were buried here . . . I wondered how many were put in the ground by me or battlemages like me. I pledged myself to Arkay and to serving off my debt to the people of Skyrim, and here I am, nearly twenty-five years later, living a peaceful existence as a priest to the people of Falkreath. I'm still in hiding from the Thalmor, I suppose, but I'd like to think, after all this time, they've forgotten about an old man like me. But I know differently, as do you, I venture to guess. The Thalmor never forget. I live in fear of my discovery and am cursed to spend the rest of my days looking over my shoulder."

The woman was quiet, taking in everything the old priest had just said. It turned out they had quite a lot in common.

"I am called Mari," she finally said. "Though my given name is Mariwen. I, too, hail from Auridon, from Matthies originally, and I, too, am a fugitive fleeing the Thalmor."

"I suspected we may have a bit in common when I stumbled across you in the cemetery, my child," the old man commented with a smile. "You don't see many Altmer in these parts. Though I must ask, how did you find yourself wounded in my graveyard?"

"My siblings and I fled after freeing my brother from Thalmor custody," Mari explained. "My parents were prisoners as well, but we were discovered before we could free them, and my father insisted we leave. We had done nothing wrong, my family. We didn't agree with much of what the Thalmor did, but we tried to keep to ourselves. My father, like you, had caused their displeasure when he refused to continue his service after the Great War, but because he was an accomplished blacksmith, they still found him useful to their cause and let him go about his life. My mother comes from a long line of Psijiic monks, so she was always watched closely. When my brother was spotted with a group of rebel terrorists, it was the last straw. The arrest of our entire family was ordered. My sisters and I were away from home, and thanks to warnings from our parents and some dear friends, we were able to illude capture. After our father told us to leave, we came to the mainland. We were headed to Skyrim because the last we knew, our uncle Borir was here someplace, but we were caught up in some sort of skirmish near the border and separated. I took an arrow to the side. I've no idea where my siblings are or even if they're alive nor how I ended up here, wandering lost and wounded through the snow."

"The divines led you, child," the priest answered simply. He passed her the bowl from beside the bed. "Eat just a bit. Then rest more. You need it. Your wound had quite the infection by the time we found you. I honestly wasn't certain if you would make it."

"How long have I been here?" Mari asked.

"Three days," he replied. "I found you on Morndas morning, shortly after dawn, when I made my first rounds of the cemetery. It is now Turdas, around mid-day."

Three days. She'd lost three days. Where were her siblings?

She ate a bit of soup and then succumbed to her tiredness.

 **Author's note: And so begins Mari's story. If you haven't read my first installment to this series, _Skyrim Book I: Aerenwen_ , I recommend you do so. There will be six installments total, each following the life of one of this large group of siblings after their arrival in Skyrim. The order in which you read them once I post, really doesn't matter. Each story exists independently on its own, but there will be times they crossover eventually. We will follow Mari through a couple chapters until the end of the month of Last Seed. Then we will move on to another sibling. This will probably be the shortest part when updating Mari (two chapters total) as it just gets her set up in Skyrim and not much happens in her story until later.**


	2. On the Mend

Chapter Two: On the Mend (Sundas, 24th of Last Seed; Middas, 27th of Last Seed; Sundas, 31st of Last Seed)

Another three days passed before Runil allowed Mari to leave her bed. During that time she slept a lot, ate a bit, and read through some of the books on magicka the old priest had in his small library. The Altmer man was a font of knowledge, and she found she enjoyed conversing with him. He told her if she wished to continue her pursuit of the mage arts in Skyrim, she should consider looking into attending the College of Winterhold. She was intrigued by the idea but was more focused on getting well, so she could search for her family.

On the third day of being up and around, Mari was going stir-crazy. She helped Runil however she could around the house, but she needed fresh air, and she felt she was feeling up to it. Runil permitted her to spend some time out on the porch of his home, and she walked amongst the stones of the ancient cemetery for some time.

It was there she first encountered Kust. He was a Nord of few words, a retired warrior who had pledged himself to the divines and helped Runil maintain the cemetery. Over the next several days, Mari developed a bit of an affinity for the grouchy old Nord, taking every opportunity she could to tease him and ruffle his feathers. She always felt especially accomplished when the stoic man cracked a smile at one of her jokes.

Finally, two weeks after she had been shot, Mari was feeling well enough to start actually living again. The first thing she needed to do was find a job. She was done taking advantage of her new friends' kindness and felt it was time to start earning her keep and give Kust his bed back.

As her first excursion into town, Runil invited her to the Harvest's End celebration, a symbolic celebration of the end of harvesting season celebrated throughout Tamriel on the 27th of Last Seed, despite the fact that depending on the weather, the time of harvest often varied drastically from year to year. Mari turned him down, however, finding herself melancholy on the first holiday she spent without her family. She had no desire to celebrate it with a town full of strangers and instead sat by the fire with an alchemy book.

Runil found her work at the nearby Corpselight Farm. The couple who owned it recently lost their child, and, in their mourning, needed some extra hands to maintain the crops and livestock. Mari looked forward to being a productive citizen again and couldn't wait to earn her first few septims. The first thing she planned to do was rent a room at the inn, so Kust would stop sleeping on the floor.

"We'll start harvesting soon," Mathies, the owner of Corpselight Farm, was explaining to Mari. "My wife is staying busy, but I fear she will overwork herself, so your extra help is appreciated."

"My condolences on your daughter's passing," Mari offered, unsure of really what else to say. She had no children of her own, nor did she really have much interest in having any, but she imagined there was no greater pain than losing a child.

Mathies nodded in appreciation. "She hadn't even seen her tenth winter. I just don't understand. He . . . ripped her apart. Like a sabre cat rips a deer. We barely found enough of her to bury."

Mari winced at the mental image. She couldn't imagine having to see such a thing at all let alone when it was your own child. "What was it that killed her?"

"Not a what, a who!" Mathies replied. "Sinding. Came through as a laborer. Seemed like a decent man, but then . . . he was a beast. What kind of man could do such a thing?" He blinked away some tears and attempted to pull himself together. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go check on my wife."

Later that night, after returning to the Hall of the Dead following a full day of working at the farm, Mari sat by the fire enjoying some apple cabbage stew Kust had prepared. She decided to ask about the little girl who had been killed and the man who killed her, having been unable to get her mind to focus on anything else all afternoon.

"He's a werewolf," Runil answered. "Gifted with lycanthrope from the daedric lord Hircine, though in his case I suppose it is more of a curse. Most werewolves have decent control over their changes, but from the sounds of it, this Sinding is completely uncontrolled. I'm not sure why. I haven't spoken to him myself. He's in the pit in the Falkreath prison if you're curious about it. I, myself, have always found lycanthrope and vampirism to be fascinating, so I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to question him. I'd be curious to know why he can't control his changes if you do find out."

Mari went to bed that night and fell into a fitful sleep full of werewolves and dragons. Though she wasn't entirely certain where the dragons had come from.

 **Author's Note: And that is the end of the first part of Mari's story. Short, I know. Her story will begin to be more involved in the next part. This part was just to introduce her a bit and get her settled into Skyrim. The next part of her story will be more in depth. I will be posting my third sibling's story,** ** _Skryim Book III: Nesta_** **, as a separate work in the coming days. If you haven't read Book I, the start of Aerenwen's story, the first part of that has already been posted.**


	3. Sinding

**Author's Note: Here is the second part of Mari's story . . . Recap of part one: she found herself in Falkreath after being wounded during the Imperial ambush for Ulfric and his men. She was helped by Runil, priest of Arkay, and Kust. She was hired at Corpselight Farm where she heard the farmers' daughter had been killed by a werewolf.**

Part Two: Hearthfire

Chapter One: Sinding (Morndas, 1st of Hearthfire)

After a full day of work at the farm, Mari made her way over to the prison. She wasn't sure why, but she had an extreme curiosity about the werewolf, and she just couldn't get it off her mind. She knew he was in the prison and decided to visit him. She wasn't certain what she would find out from him that was worth her time, but she found herself needing to hear his side of the story. She'd always heard tales of werewolves, and their inability to control themselves, but she found herself wondering just how true that was. Mari found it difficult to believe that someone would be that unable to control themselves and wondered if this Sinding truly was a good man or if there was some evil in his heart.

The guards allowed Mari to enter the prison, pointing her toward a cell they referred to as 'the pit'.

The pit was a dark, water-filled cell, larger than the other cells but much more hostile in its appearance. A grate in the ceiling allowed in a bit of light and rainwater, presumably where the knee-deep festering water in the cell came from. It smelled rank and musty, and Mari immediately felt sorry for anyone put in there. It must be reserved for their lowliest prisoners, such as a werewolf who brutally murdered a child.

She stood at the gate to the cell, peering through the dim light in an attempt to see its inhabitant. Would he look like a man or would he be in his beast form?

A shirtless man in ragged, torn trousers emerged from the shadows. He was filthy but fit, his long hair and rugged build typical of a Nord.

"Come to gawk at the monster?" he asked, standing before Mari, arms crossed.

"I heard you attacked a little girl," she replied.

"Believe me, it wasn't anything I ever intended to do," the man replied, his voice revealing his sadness and regret over his actions. "I just . . . I lost control. I tried to tell them, but none of them believe me. It's all on account of this blasted ring." He held up his right hand, a jeweled golden ring adorning his ring finger.

"The ring?" Mari questioned.

"This is the Ring of Hircine," Sinding explained, stepping closer to the gate, so the elf could see the ring better. "I was told it could help me have more control over my transformations." He shrugged. "Perhaps it used to, but I'll never know. Hircine didn't care for my taking it and threw a curse on it. I put the ring on and the change just came to me. I could never guess when. I've tried giving the ring away or simply not wearing it, but it always seems to find its way back on my finger. As long as the ring is in my possession, I change at the most unexpected times. The worst moments . . . like with the little girl . . . but no matter what I do, I can't get rid of the damn thing. I'm beginning to wonder if Hircine placed the curse on me and not just the ring."

"How long have you been a werewolf?" Mari asked.

"A few years," Sinding replied. "It's been my secret and my shame. I was attacked outside of Winterhold and infected. I hate it. I hate changing. It's why I wanted the ring. I thought, perhaps, being able to control my transformations would mean I wouldn't have to transform at all. You see, I may look like a man, but I always feel the beast inside me."

"Why would you steal something from a daedric lord?" Mari wondered. "How did you ever think that would be a good idea?"

Sinding shrugged. "Ignorance. I thought if I took the ring, he'd never miss it, I guess. I don't know. It seemed a good idea at the time. It's because of him I carry the curse of this beast blood. If he had the ability to help me, I felt he should, but clearly he isn't one to be crossed."

"What will you do now?" Mari asked.

"I'm stuck here to await my sentencing," he replied. "I've heard tell of a white stag in the woods to the east of here. Legend says any hunter who brings down the stag will gain Hircine's favor. I came to this area to track it, hoping to get back on his good side that way. I've tracked it to a glen just outside of the town but hadn't had the opportunity to hunt it yet when everything went to hell."

"What if I take the ring from you?" Mari wondered. "Maybe someone who knows the truth behind it taking possession of it would help."

"You would do that for me?" Sinding asked, surprised.

Mari shrugged. "I'm not a werewolf, so the ring wouldn't have any effects on me," she replied. "I can't help get you out of here or out of the crimes you committed, but I can do this."

Sinding thanked her and passed the ring through the iron rails of the cell door. Mari tucked it into the coin purse she wore on her belt for safe keeping. Although she wasn't a werewolf, she wasn't about to put a cursed ring on her finger.

"You've given me new hope," the downtrodden man commented with a slight smile. "I suppose I should get out of here. Feel free to holler for the guards after I'm gone to avoid implicating yourself in my escape."

"Your escape?" Mari asked, but before she could even finish the short question, she watched in shock as the man transformed into a beast. He was grotesque, covered with a dark brown fur, terrifying claws at the end of his long arms and long fangs protruding from his muzzle. Mari watched in fascination as he leaped up the stone walls and tore the grate from the opening at the top of the cell, disappearing through it.

She shook off her daze and remembered what he had said. "Guards! Help!" she called out.

"What is it?" a man asked, appearing behind her. He wore the now familiar garb of a Falkreath town guard.

"The prisoner escaped," Mari replied, throwing as much fear into her voice as she could muster. It wasn't entirely an act. Seeing the man transform into his beast form had definitely rattled her. "He was lamenting over his crimes one moment, and the next, he transformed into a hideous beast and tore his way through the opening at the top of the cell."

"Shit," the guard muttered under his breath, quickly unlocking the cell door and stepping inside. He looked up at the opened grate for a few moments before turning back to Mari. "What did you say to him?"

Mari shrugged. "Nothing of consequence, really," she replied. "I was curious about the werewolf. I had never met someone infected with the disease in person, so I asked him some questions about it and wondered how he could live with himself after killing that little girl. He claimed he had lost control."

"Aye," the guard replied. "That's what he's claimed all along which is exactly why a known werewolf can't be permitted to live. Who knows when they will lose control and take innocent lives. I need to report this to my superior. Watch yourself out there, and if you should see him, immediately alert the authorities. He can't be trusted whether he appears to be a man or not."

Mari nodded and made her way outside, returning the the Hall of the Dead on the outskirts of town. Her employers were fixing up a place for her to sleep in the small loft of their home. The lodging, as well as breakfast, were considered a part of her wages for the work she would be doing, along with ten septims for each day of work. But her room wasn't ready yet, so she'd be spending another night or two with Runil and Kust.

Over dinner, Mari told the men of her conversation with the werewolf and all she had learned. Runil found the whole thing fascinating but warned against pursuing it any further.

"Daedra can't be trusted," the old man warned. "They make it their business to meddle in our affairs and cause mischief, but their motives are purely self-serving." He stood then and approached the alter of Arkay on the opposite side of the room.

Kust glanced in his direction and then spoke low to Mari. "The old man's right, of course," he nearly whispered, "but were I a few years younger with a thirst for adventure, I would still probably hunt that white stag down. Mischievous or not, earning the favor of a Daedric Lord is a challenge I wouldn't have been able to pass up in my youth."


	4. Hircine

Chapter Two: Hircine (Tirdas, 2nd of Hearthfire; Middas, 3rd of Hearthfire)

It was barely dawn as Mari crouched behind some shrubbery in the glen Sinding had spoken of. Her eyes were focused on a small pool of water fed by a spring coming out of the mountains. She'd kept vigil there for the lcast hour, knowing from observing her sisters' hunts during their journey that morning and evening were the easiest times to find large game during the warmer months. They laid low when the hot sun was high in the sky.

As the rising sun lit the area, a beautiful white stag appeared in the glen, making its way toward the pool to drink. He was a gorgeous creature, larger than any buck Mari had ever seen, with an immense set of antlers and a coat as white as the snow. Part of her hated to take this beast down, but another part of her knew, if this beast was attached to a legend of Hircine, chances were he wasn't completely natural and would be replaced by an equally glorious creature not long after his demise.

She concentrated and willed a cloak of invisibility to surround her, allowing her to approach her game as stealthily as possible. She was a mere ten feet from his side when he became uneasy, obviously sensing her presence somehow although he couldn't see her.

Mari focused deep within herself and willed sparks to appear in the palm of her right hand. She wasn't any good with weapons, so she would need to take this beast down by magical means. A spell of fire would mar the beautiful coat, which she suspected she could make a decent profit from, and though sparks were usually more affective on foes using magic, dwindling their magical abilities while also causing damage to their nervous system, she thought if she focused the sparks on his chest, the strong electrical current would stop his heart, essentially putting the creature into cardiac arrest and killing him as quickly as possible.

Mari did just that, and it wasn't long before she stood over her prey, admiring the carcass. She began to harvest from it. A good hunter never wasted anything. The venison could be split between Runil and Mathies as thank you for all they had done for her, and the hide and antlers could be sold. As she was finishing up, doing her best to distract herself from the blood she found herself covered with, an ethereal visage of the stag appeared before her.

"Well done, hunter," a ghostly voice stated.

"Didn't I just kill you?" Mari wondered, mostly to herself.

The apparition chuckled. "I am the Lord Hircine. Though your methods were a bit unorthodox for a hunter, you have bested my stag. What is it you want from me, elf?"

Mari stood, mustering all the confidence she could find. If anyone had told her a month ago she'd be standing before a daedric lord and requesting things of them, she would've said they were crazy. She pulled the ring from her pouch. "I wish for you to remove the curse from this ring, to grant the Nord, Sinding, some peace."

"You mortals are so foolish," Hircine replied. "Here, you have a powerful Daedric Lord at your disposal. You could ask for anything - material wealth, power, strength and abilities - yet you waste your request on someone else. A stranger, in fact, who is a lost cause."

"It is because of your curse of beastblood and the curse you put on this ring that Sinding suffers so," Mari replied.

"Sinding chose to steal my property. The consequences are his own as are those he receives for killing the child."

"You can help him," Mari insisted.

"I can't," Hircine replied. "Sinding had lost control long before he stole the ring. I put no curse on it. The ability I bestow on mortals to hunt as beasts is a gift. The trick is to find a balance between the beast and the man. Those, like Sinding, who choose to be weak and don't seek harmony with their beast are eventually overpowered by the beast."

"So there is no hope for him?" Mari asked sadly.

"There is not," Hircine answered. "Hope for Sinding had been lost long before he stole the ring from me. He no longer has control over his beast and will continue to transform unexpectedly. Eventually he will lose himself to his beast completely and will no longer be able to revert to his human form.

"The ring's power is in the strength it gives the one who possesses it," the Daedra continued. "Those with the beastblood usually need to wait for some time between transformations. Transforming into a beast is tiresome to the mortal form, and they must recouperate. The ring eliminates this waiting period, allowing them to call upon their beast whenever they desire. It has little to do with gaining control over the beast within them. That is something each much discover and master on their own."

Mari sighed. "So this was all for nothing," she muttered.

"Not necessarily," Hircine replied. "You have gained my favor and shown me, as well as yourself, that despite your ineptness with traditional weaponry, you have the skills needed to be a great huntress. You may keep the ring as a sign of my pleasure."

"What good will this do me?" Mari wondered, glancing at the ring in her hand. "I am not a werewolf."

"You could be," the lord offered.

"I have no interest in that," she replied forcefully.

"Very well," he answered. "But, perhaps, there is one in your life who could eventually have use for such a gift. You have a powerful sister who will accept my gift of beastblood and master it. The ring would be of use to her."

Mari frowned. She had a hard time believing any of her siblings would choose to become a werewolf and wondered if this was a trick of some sort.

"Sinding has retreated to a grotto to the north," Hircine stated, "on the other side of the lake. He believes he will be safe there, that he will live out the rest of his life without further complications."

"He's wrong, I take it?"

"Very much so. The grotto may not be home to any mortals, but that will not stop some from visiting there. Hunters, adventurers . . . I find that mortals enjoy exploring and seek shelter in places such as that, and any who venture there will find themselves his prey, and once the beast has taken over, there would be no stopping it from taking his hunts outside of the grotto."

"So, no matter where he goes, Sinding will still be a danger to others," Mari stated.

The visage of the stag nodded. "He must be dealt with. And quickly."

"You want me to do this?" Mari asked. How could she ever best a werewolf?

"You've shown you have skill, and should you eliminate this threat, I would have another gift for you if you presented me with his hide," Hircine replied. "But if you wish to be a part of this hunt, you must hurry. Others who seek my favor are already on their way to the grotto."

At that, the stag disappeared. Mari quickly washed herself off in the pool and hurried with the remains of her hunt back to Falkreath.

* * *

Mathies was thrilled with the venison Mari presented him with. After a full day of work on the farm, Mari brought the rest to an equally thankful Runil and sold the hide to the blacksmith for three times the amount he would usually give for a deer hide. She received the usual payment for antlers from the apothecary. The rare color of her kill may have increased the value of the hide, but it did little to affect the magical properties of the antlers.

With some of her coin, she was able to purchase a set of hide armor from the blacksmith, Lod. He did his best to make it a perfect fit, but because of Mari's thin build, no matter how well the armor fit, it felt cumbersome and awkward, and she found herself eager to get back into her usual clothes.

After dinner, she struck off for the grotto, finding it easily enough. It was a beautiful cave. One of those almost magical ones that was somehow full of flora and a light of its own, despite being deep within a mountain. She did her best to keep herself from becoming distracted by the plantlife. She would have time to harvest for research purposes after her errand was completed.

Not far into the grotto, Mari came upon a camp set up, presumably by the other hunters Hircine had mentioned. One, a Khajit, already lay dead on the ground. Another, who appeared Nord in descent, was leaned against a rotting log and looked close to death himself.

"He's too strong," he muttered to Mari as she stepped closer to him. "He has bested us."

That did little to asuage her already meak confidence, but she continued further into the cave. She was quite a ways down a narrow passageway between large rock formations when a roar sounded out above her. It was terrifying, and every fiber of her being wanted to flee, but she fought the urge and looked up.

Sinding, in his beast form, stood on the ledge above her. Despite his lack of human appearance, she could tell he was surprised to see her. He quickly transformed back into the form of a man and stood, naked, above her.

"So you, too, have come to slay the beast," he commented with sadness.

"I'm sorry," Mari replied, "but you are a danger to all the innocent lives who make their home outside this cave."

"I will remain here for the rest of my days," Sinding promised. "I will not leave the cave."

"It won't matter, Sinding," she answered. "People will come. Hunters, travelers seeking shelter from the elements, and you will slaughter them all. When your beast has completely overpowered any rational thought, there will be no stopping you from leaving this place and wreaking havoc on the outside world."

Sinding frowned, but again his expression revealed that he knew she was right. "Very well then," he replied. "I will fight for my life. I must. I cannot go against that instinct. But for what it's worth, I hope it is you who bests me." He transformed, again, into the form of a beast and ran off quickly, howling as he went.

Mari explored the cavern for some time. She saw no other hunters nor did she see the werewolf, but occasionally, she would hear roars and screams of agony in the distance. She began to wonder if she was the only one left alive to slay Sinding.

She finally spotted him again, below her, feeding on a hunter he had killed. He was covered in blood and tearing at the man's flesh with his massive jaws. So caught up in his kill, he didn't seem to realize Mari was as close as she was.

Quickly cloaking herself in a shield of invisibility, just as she had done with the stag, she crept as close as she dared before shooting out a mixture of flames and sparks at the werewolf. He roared in pain and looked around, frantically, trying to figure out where the magic was originating from. Before he discovered her, though, he fell to the ground.

The werewolf was dead. He did not revert to his human form upon his demise, a sure sign he had, indeed, lost control to his beast.

Mari approached him and knelt down, using her dagger to skin the beast. She did her best to think of it as a wild animal, just as she had when skinning the stag, rather than something that was once a man.

After completing her task, she made her way back outside the cave, too eager to get away from the place and wash the blood off her skin to even think about gathering magical herbs on her way out.

Outside the cave, she was once again met with the aspect of Hircine appearing in the ghostly apparition of the white stag.

"Well done, huntress," the Daedric Lord commended.

"I have done as you asked," Mari replied.

"You have," Hircine answered, the stag giving a slight nod of approval. "Look again at the hide you carry. It is my gift to you and will serve its wearer well. Should you change your mind and wish to hunt with me, you now know how to garner my attention." At that, he disappeared, leaving Mari alone beneath the night sky.

She approached the lake and rinsed the blood off her, feeling a bath would be in order as soon as possible. She looked at the werewolf hide again and saw that it had been transformed into a set of fur and leather armor, quite intricately made, and she could feel the magic within it. She had little purpose for it, but she would keep it. Perhaps it would serve a use down the road.

A faint light in the eastern sky hinted that sunrise was not far off. She was exhausted and knew it would be a long day on the farm.


	5. Unexpected Encounters

Chapter Three: Unexpected Encounters (Sundas, 7th of Hearthfire; Morndas, 8th of Hearthfire; Tirdas, 9th of Hearthfire)

Mari spent much of her free time at the local inn, enjoying getting to know the locals who believed her to be Runil's niece visiting from the Imperial City. She especially found herself enjoying the company of Narri, the buxom and beautiful Nord barmaid, with whom she flirted frequently. These flirtations eventually led to her spending nights with the woman and getting to know one another on an intimate level. After their fourth encounter, Mari began to realize the woman was looking for more than she was willing to give.

The elf had always been one of the more promiscuous of her siblings, and that was saying a lot considering the reputations they had all developed for themselves. Mari loved sex and had frequent encounters. Men did little for her, but she'd bedded many a beautiful woman back on Auridon.

Narri was a romantic at heart, and it was clear after spending time with her, what had begun as casual encounters were quickly becoming more in the Nord's mind. Mari began to feel guilty as the woman began to hint at marriage and a future together. How did she tell her she had no plans to remain in Falkreath long term let alone settle down any time soon? Doing so would hurt the kind barmaid and, most likely, end their encounters. In truth, Mari wasn't ready to do that. She'd missed intimate counters on her journey to Skyrim and desperately craved a woman's touch. Narri was beautiful, her company was enjoyable, and frankly, her talents beneath the furs were some of the best Mari had come across in her great many encounters.

"I had never been with a woman before you," Narri confessed, lying in Mari's arms, their bare skin pressed together and slicked with sweat after their previous exertions. "I never imagined I would be. I always imagined some burly Nord warrior or hunter winning my heart, and yet here I am, in the arms of a tiny elf, imagining a life together." The beautiful woman gazed at Mari, though her thoughts were obviously elsewhere. "I wish you could give me children. I always imagined I'd have children."

Mari frowned as she began to feel suffocated by the other woman's presence. This wasn't the first time this had happened, and the guilt at leading the other woman on was overbearing. "I never wanted children," she stated, hoping, perhaps, if she outlined their different views of the future, the woman would stop imagining a life together.

"Maybe we could adopt," Narri continued, clearly not having even heard the elf's comment.

Mari gently shoved the Nord off her and sat up, glancing around the barmaid's small room for her clothes. It wasn't as if she didn't care for Narri. She did, and she didn't want to see her hurt, let alone be the cause of that hurt, but Mari didn't do relationships. She didn't devote herself to other people, and she honestly didn't know if she ever would. It wasn't something she could imagine.

"Where are you going?" Narri asked, surprised that the other woman clearly didn't intend to spend the rest of the night as she had the previous few.

"The farm," Mari answered. "I have an early start tomorrow and would just as soon get some sleep there."

"Oh, alright," Narri replied. "Will I see you tomorrow?"

"Possibly. I haven't been to see my uncle in a few days. I may spend the evening there."

If she did this right, if she distanced herself from the other woman a bit over the next few days, she could let her down easily while still not jeopardizing the chance of future sexual encounters with the talented Nord.

* * *

The following day, Mari was working at the farm when Kust appeared at the fence and called her over.

"There's a high elf at the inn," he told her. "She's a Companion."

"What's a Companion?" she asked, a bit concerned that he was telling her this because they were somehow affiliated with the Thalmor.

"It's an order of warriors stationed in Whiterun," he replied. "They have a long history in Skyrim and are very respected. She's with Aela the Huntress, one of the most well-known of the Companions, and they were meeting with Dengeir about a job."

"Alright," Mari replied, confused by the information. "Why is this important?"

"I overheard a small bit of their conversation," Kust answered. "She was referred to by name. Mari, she called herself Aerenwen."

Mari's eyes widened. Her sister?! She immediately dropped the rake she had been using. "I'll be right back, Mathies!" she called over her shoulder as she ran to the road and in the direction of the inn.

She rounded the corner as two women descended the steps from the porch of the inn, approaching two horses who were tied to the post nearby. She watched in awe as the Altmer woman lovingly caressed one of the animals on its muzzle and laughed at something the other woman had said. It was Aerenwen. Her sister. Finally, she knew that at least one of them was alive and well.

"Aerenwen!?" she called out, smiling widely as the other woman turned, and she saw her surprise mirrored in her sister's expression.

"Mari?!" Aerenwen gasped. She smiled widely and began to approach her, Mari stepping forward as well to close the distance between them.

They embraced, and Mari felt relief and joy overcome her in her taller, stronger sister's embrace.

"I have been so worried about you!" Aerenwen commented, her arms still around the smaller woman.

"And I you, sister," Mari answered with a smile.

Mari allowed her sister to take her by the hand, leading her toward the other warrior she was with.

"Mari, this is Aela," she stated. "We work together, and she's a dear friend . . . for now," she added with a grin.

"Well, I'll be damned," Mari thought to herself. While she had always had an active sex life, Aerenwen had always been the sibling least interested in that. She often lamented that she didn't find the pleasure in the act that Mari spoke of. While she wasn't a virgin in the least, her encounters had been more exploratory in nature, seeking out what her siblings had spoken of and never finding it. It appeared she had finally found someone who peaked her interests in Skyrim.

"Aela, this is my sister, Mari," Aerenwen stated, finishing the introductions.

"The mage, right?" Aela stating, shaking Mari's hand. The warrior was an extremely attractive woman, and Mari admired her sister's taste. She was certainly a conquest she, herself, would have been proud of. Aela was muscular but feminine with an amazing figure, and her face, though covered in warpaint, was also pleasing. She and Aerenwen made a handsome couple.

"Aw, sister, you've been telling stories about me," Mari teased. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Aela. Any woman who can put up with my sister and win her otherwise unattainable affections is definitely one I'm happy to meet." She turned back to her sister. "We have so much to catch up on. I have a few more hours of work. Are you staying at the inn?"

Aerenwen nodded. "We'll be gone on business for most of the day tomorrow, but we're staying until Middas."

Mari squealed excitedly. "Let's meet for dinner here then, shall we?" She glanced between Aerenwen and Aela, hoping they would agree.

Her sister cast a glance at her companion for confirmation before replying. "That sounds excellent, Mari. I can't tell you how happy I am to see you."

Mari grinned. Though this still left four of her siblings unaccounted for, it was a start. She hated to leave her sister so soon after finding her again, but she needed to get back to the farm. She bid the two women farewell and promised to meet them back at the inn for dinner, casting a glance over her shoulder from time to time as she wandered back down the road, partially afraid the reunion had been a figment of her imagination and expecting the other women not to be there. They were though, talking and laughing as they wandered down the road away from the inn in the direction of the apothecary shop and Jarl's longhouse.

A few hours later, Mari shared a table at the inn with her sister and the woman she gathered, based upon watching the other two interact, would someday be her sister-in-law.

"What happened to you the night we were separated?" Mari asked between bites of her dinner.

"I was captured," Aerenwen replied. "I don't know if you saw the skirmish between the soldiers or not . . ."

Mari nodded to show that she had, though she'd wait until her sister was finished before sharing her own story.

"Well, I tried to sneak away and not get involved," Aerenwen continued, "but I had been spotted. I was hit over the head and awoke bound in a wagon the following morning along with some Stormcloak rebels. The Imperial soldiers took us to Helgen to be executed."

"But I heard Helgen was destroyed by a dragon," Mari stated.

"It was, but after," her sister replied. "As horrible and unbelievable as a dragon attack is, it was actually a very fortuitous event for me. I was knelt over the headsman's block about to be executed when it attacked."

Mari's eyes widened in shock. "How did you get away?" she asked.

"With some help from some friends," she replied. "I made my way to the village of Riverwood, along with an Imperial soldier named Hadvar and a young boy we had rescued named Hamish. Afterward, I traveled to Whiterun to warn the Jarl of the dragon. My friends in Riverwood were defenseless, and the dragon had been spotted flying overhead after it left Helgen. I retrieved a relic from a nearby ruin for the Jarl's wizard and then aided his housecarl in bringing down a second dragon outside the city. In doing so, I won the respect of the Jarl and was named Thane of the Hold. I own a home in Whiterun and live there with Hamish and my housecarl, Lydia."

"You killed a dragon?!" Mari asked, in shock. She'd heard the rumors of Helgen, of course. Everyone had. Especially after the Jarl of Whiterun had a sent a letter to Falkreath's Jarl making sure he was aware of it and warning him not to take the presence of his troops in nearby Riverwood as a sign of aggression but rather as an act of defense should the dragon return. Jarl Siddgeir had recruited a few more guards of his own after that and increased their rounds. But she hadn't heard there were other dragons.

Aerenwen nodded. "I did, and when it died, something odd happened to me," she explained. "I absorbed its soul. I don't really understand it, but the local Nords have started calling me Dragonborn. According to legend the Dragonborn is a mortal born with the blood of dragons who can absorb their souls, and thereby their powers, upon their death."

"So what does this mean for you?" Mari wondered.

Aerenwen shrugged. "I'm no sure yet," she replied. "Apparently there is an order of monks atop the Throat of the World who wish to meet with me. Supposedly they will have the answers to my questions and be able to tell me more about it, but I haven't taken the time to travel there yet. Aela and I plan to do so soon."

"You'll write me with what you find out?" Mari wondered.

Aerenwen nodded.

"And how did you come to be a Companion?" she asked.

"I met Aela when I first arrived outside of Whiterun," Aerenwen explained. "She and some other companions were fighting a giant, and I helped them."

"Of course you did," Mari interjected with a smirk.

"I suggested she join our ranks," Aela added. "I could tell immediately she was a great warrior."

"Then she stalked me for a few days," Aerenwen teased.

Aela laughed and pretended to be afronted. "The meeting in the center of Whiterun was pure coincidence," she stated. "I was walking by and saw you sitting there and decided to further impart upon you how much the Companions needed someone of your stock."

"And the following me to Bleak Falls Barrow and to kill the dragon?" Aerenwen wondered, smiling.

"Alright, so maybe I had a difficult time staying away," Aela relented.

Mari laughed at their exchange.

"Anyway, after Hamish and I were set up in our new home, I knew I needed a source of income, and, I'll admit, the thought of spending more time around this one," she nodded toward Aela, "appealed to me greatly. I approached them about membership and was accepted on a trial basis. I was inducted fully just a few nights ago after proving my honor."

"We always thought you'd end up a true warrior . . . someone with a bit more honor than just a mercenary," Mari commented with a smile, "and I can't wait to travel to Whiterun to see your home and meet my new nephew."

Her sister returned her smile. "Now it's your turn," she stated. "Tell me how you found yourself in Falkreath."

So Mari did. She told her of being wounded during the same skirmish in which Aerenwen had been taken prisoner; how she somehow wandered her way, near death, to Falkreath; and of her discovery by Runil and Kust. She told them of Runil's history, of her job at the farm, and even about the werewolf and her business with Hircine. She noticed that Aela and Aerenwen appeared a bit on edge and kept exchanging glances when she spoke of the werewolf, but she attributed it to be a result of surprise that someone like Mari had performed such a task and didn't give their reactions much thought.

"Since then, things have been quiet mostly," Mari finished. "I'm living and working at the farm. I've made some friends. I'm no Thane," she giggled, "but I'm doing well for myself."

"I'm glad," Aerenwen commented with a smile, reaching across the table to squeeze her sister's hand.

"I didn't know you folks knew each other," Narri stated as she approached the table. "Refills?"

Aerenwen nodded, and the barmaid refilled their flagons.

"Aerenwen is my sister," Mari stated proudly.

Narri was clearly surprised. After all, the elf hadn't told her much at all about her personal life and nothing of her family. As far as she had known, her uncle, Runil, was her only living relative. "I didn't know you had any siblings, Mari."

"Five of them," Mari replied.

"All scattered throughout Skyrim," Aerenwen added, and Mari hoped it was true.

Narri nodded and glanced at Mari again. The elf knew the other woman was hoping to get some time alone with her later. As glad as she was to see her sister, she had hoped to stay away from the inn and its barmaid for a few days.

"What's going on there?" Aerenwen asked, ever observant.

"Nothing," Mari replied with a shrug. "Well, something, but you know me."

Aerenwen chuckled. "Enjoying yourself?" she asked with a smirk.

Mari grinned. "Don't I always?"

"Be careful with that one," her sister warned, glancing across the tavern at Narri who was now serving other patrons. "She has heart eyes."

"I know," Mari replied with a sigh. "I thought she understood that this was purely casual, but last night she started talking about kids and alluding to a future with me . . . "

"And, of course, you ran away instead of addressing it," Aerenwen interjected with a smirk.

Mari chuckled. "There is no future there," she answered. "Narri is a nice girl. She's beautiful and definitely has some talents." She wiggled her white-blonde eyebrows, causing both her dinner companions to chuckle. "But you know I've never pictured myself settling down, and if I ever decided to, it wouldn't be with someone like her. I may not have the adventurous streak that you, Nesta, and Elain do, but if I ever pictured myself with someone, it would be someone who respected my magicka and, perhaps, practiced the craft as well. Not someone who frowned upon its use and was content to live in a small town for the rest of her days. There is no future for me in Falkreath."

"Do you have a plan then?" Aerenwen asked.

"Runil told me about a mage's college in the north," Mari stated.

"The College of Winterhold," Aela interjected.

"Yes, that's it," Mari replied. "I think I'd like to finish my studies, and it sounds like that's the place to do it. Runil suggested if I don't wish to be stuck here for the winter, that leaving within the next month or so would be wise. Winterhold is apparently covered with snow year-round, and the journey there is even more difficult in the winter."

Aela nodded. "It's a harsh climate up there, that's for certain. It's located right on the coast of the Sea of Ghosts. Winterhold itself is a small town. It was once a great city. It rivaled Windhelm and Solitude, but a great earthquake destroyed much of it many years ago. Nearly the entire city disappeared into the sea. All that is left are a few wooden structures making up the town now. It isn't even as big as Falkreath anymore."

"But the college survived?" Mari asked.

"It did. Basically in tact from what I've been told," Aela replied, "though I've never set foot in the college myself. They don't allow visitors, generally, and they're very secretive. It's caused a lot of mistrust with the Nords, who as you know, are generally suspicious of magic as it is. There are many who believe the mages in the college had something to do with the earthquake, but I find that unlikely. It's probably more likely it had something to do with the eruption of the Red Mountain in Morrowind."

The elven sisters nodded their agreement.

"So when will you leave for Winterhold?" Aerenwen asked.

Mari shrugged. "I'm not entirely certain," she replied, "though I would like to leave by the first of Frostfall. I've begun setting aside gold from my earnings at the farm. I'm hoping to save enough to get a few magical supplies before I go, so I won't arrive looking like a completely unprepared novice. Then I'll make the journey to Whiterun on foot and hire a carriage to Winterhold from there."

"Well, whenever you make the trip, you are welcome to stay at my home in Whiterun for a night or two if you'd like, even if I'm not home." Aerenwen reached into her satchel and pulled out a key to her home, passing it to her sister. "I will let my housecarl, Lydia, know that you have an open invitation. My home is your home, sister."

Mari smiled and tucked the key in her own satchel attached to her belt. "Thank you. I'm so glad you're back, Aerenwen. I've missed you."


	6. Another Reunion

Chapter Four: Another Reunion (Fridas, 19th of Hearthfire; Loredas, 20th Hearthfire)

The townsfolk of Falkreath had been surprisingly welcoming to Mari, and though she had no love for the small, gloomy town, she had developed an affection for its residents.

Runil had taken a paternal role in her life. He was full of wisdom and guidance and was already helping Mari set aside supplies for her upcoming journey and, hopefully, acceptance into the mages' college in Winterhold. She enjoyed their conversations and often found herself remaining at the Hall of the Dead until late in the evening, enjoying the stories he told as they sat by the fire and shared a bottle of wine.

Kust, though gruff and a Nord of few words, had a soft spot for Mari, and she often caught him almost smiling as she teased him and tried to get under his skin. Trying to make the somber old warrior laugh had become one of Mari's favorite pasttimes, and she swore to herself she would be successful before she left at the end of the month.

Things had continued with Narri as the weeks went on. Although she avoided the topics of a relationship and the future, Mari spent two or three nights a week with the Nord, finding their nocturnal activities both relaxing and envigorating. Frequent sexual encounters were necessary for Mari to feel at her best, and she wondered if she'd find someone willing to warm her bed on the occasional night once arriving in Winterhold.

Although she hadn't told the barmaid yet of her plans to leave Falkreath at month's end, it was clear to Mari that Narri was beginning to realize the elf had no interest in a future with her. She brought up her dreams for their future less and less, and sometimes, the Altmer would catch the Nord staring at her with a sad longing. Part of her felt badly. She did care for Narri and didn't wish to hurt her in anyway, but she had never promised nor even alluded to the things the woman wanted from her. She doubted she would ever settle into a relationship with someone, but if Oblivion ever froze over and she found herself doing so, it certainly wouldn't be in the town of Falkreath.

Working at the farm was both exhausting and tedious. Mari had never performed such physical labor, preferring her books, alchemy, and spells, and she found her body aching more often than not after full days of working the crops and tending the animals. Her small loft bedroom was comfortable though, she never went hungry, and she had accumulated quite a savings of gold toward her future. Mathies and Indara Caerellia were a kind Imperial couple and easy to work for. Mathies would often tell stories, even some of their daughter Lavinia, but eventually found himself too emotional to continue and would excuse himself for some privacy. Indara spent a great deal of her time visiting Lavinia's plot in the cemetary or praying in the Hall of the Dead. They were still in mourning, and Mari gave them the space and privacy they needed.

Because of this, she found herself spending many an evening at Dead Man's Drink, enjoying the company of the other townsfolk - this was, in fact, how she had gotten to know Narri so well. The inn was owned and run by an Imperial woman, Valga Vinicia. She was extremely attractive despite the fact that she was older and, in truth, Mari had flirted with her rather excessively before coming to the conclusion that Valga had no interest in women in that manner. Valga knew everyone in the hold, it seemed, and always had the latest gossip to share. She complained of the war and the lack of sunlight in the always overcast town, but she had a warm smile, kept a welcoming inn, and served delicious meals she cooked herself.

The inn's bard, Delacourt, was probably one of Mari's favorite people in Falkreath. The Breton had a cheerful demeanor and an excellent sense of humor. When he wasn't performing, he and Mari often drank together. Though he knew the elf wasn't interested, he'd flirt with her good-naturedly, promising some day to write a song about the beautiful High Elf who slayed the werewolf. It was from Delacourt that Mari learned of a college for bards in the city of Solitude, and she wondered if her brother had found his way there.

Aside from the townsfolk, hunters frequented the inn. With its heavy forested regions, Falkreath Hold was one of the more favorable areas of Skyrim for hunting, and it seemed like every night there was a new face within the tavern, telling stories, sharing drink, and enjoying a brief break from the wilderness. Most of these hunters would stop by for a night and then never be seen again, others visited so rarely they were basically strangers, but there were two who frequented the inn, both Nords, and Mari got to know them both fairly well.

Valdr was a handsome Nord, and it was clear that he had an eye for the buxom barmaid. Although Narri currently only had eyes for the Altmer mage, Mari could only hope after she left Falkreath that Narri and Valdr would begin a life together. The hunter could, after all, give Narri the life she claimed to have always wanted. He showed up at Dead Man's Drink nearly every night after dark, ate a hearty meal, enjoyed some mead, socialized with the other patrons, flirted with Narri, and then went to bed in the room that he rented so often it was basically his home. He would be gone before dawn the following morning.

Mari learned she had someone in common, by extension, with the other hunter who frequented the inn. Niall was an older Nord - not yet advanced enough in age to be considered an elder but not exactly middle aged either. He lived in a small cabin outside of the town that the locals referred to as Pinewatch and had, apparently, hunted the woods of Falkreath for decades. He visited the town at least once a week, sometimes more frequently depending on the boon of his hunts, to trade goods and catch up on local news at the tavern. He was a bit quiet, though friendly and seemed to know everyone. Mari had conversed with him several times before discovering he was Aela's father, just a week or so after having met the Huntress. He often told hunting stories, most in which he was the lone hunter, but on this occassion he told a story of taking his young teenage daughter to take down a sabrecat.

"Aela was just here last week on some Companion's business," Valga informed the older man. "She seems to be doing quite well."

At that Niall had smiled, though it was a sad smile.

Later, Mari had inquired with the innkeeper about it. "Niall is Aela's father?"

Valga nodded.

"I wasn't aware she was from Falkreath," Mari replied.

Again, the Imperial woman nodded. "She grew up here," Valga answered, "though she doesn't visit often now. It's a sad story," she continued. "Niall raised her to be a hunter like him and doesn't approve of her warrior lifestyle. Her mother was also a Companion, and it came between the couple eventually. When Aela decided to follow in her mother's footsteps, Niall was very vocal in his disapproval. He turned Aela out, and they've been estranged ever since."

Mari's heart went out to the woman her sister loved. She couldn't imagine a parent acting in such a way and thanked the gods for having had supportive parents who allowed their children to follow their hearts without question, for the most part. She missed them terribly.

Among the many friendships she had forged in the small town, Mari's best friend, without a doubt, was the local apothecary. Zaria was a Redguard who had a darkness about her that reminded Mari a bit of her sister Elain. A skilled alchemist and healer, the woman's main talents actually resided in the darker side of the art, and she had an odd passion for poisons. She taught Mari quite a lot, and the High Elf truly enjoyed her day's off spent within the small apothecary shop, which was also Zaria's home. She found the woman's stories of Hammerfell interesting and was pleased to have someone, aside from Runil, to discuss magicka with.

With the civil war, political tensions in Skyrim ran high, and Falkreath was no acception to this. An elderly Nord, Thane of Falkreath, spent a great many hours in the inn drinking and ranting in paranoia about a plot against him. Before Mari's arrival in the town, Dengeir had been the hold's Jarl, and he was a staunch Stormcloak supporter. Valga told the elf the man had been deposed because his mind had never been well, and it was only worsening with age, but the old man swore it was an Imperial plot that had removed him from his position of power. It didn't help assuage his paranoia at all that his replacement was his nephew, Siddgeir, who had been raised in the Imperial City and had strong ties to the Empire.

Siddgeir wasn't, in Mari's opinion, a much better Jarl than the crazy old man must have been. He was young and inexperienced and quite full of himself. He thrived on living a life of luxury and leisure and showed little interest in the hold or its residents. His steward, Nenya, a fellow Altmer, did most of the business the Jarl should have done, exceeding her job description to excess, while the corrupt Jarl ate well, bedded many women, and had dealings with local bandit groups. Mari had received accolades from the man after rumor had spread of her killing Sinding. He had offered her a title if she did some jobs for him, but she politely declined. The jobs involved his crooked business with bandits, and she had no desire to forsake her morals simply to be called Thane of Falkreath.

All in all, the residents of Falkreath treated their newest addition well. Despite his race, they trusted their priest of Arkay, and so as Runil's supposed niece, they trusted Mari by extension. Aside from Bolund, Mari never heard a bad word spoken about her.

Bolund was a Nord who ran the town's lumbermill. He was bitter and surly, often complaining about the town and was, undoubtedly, a racist. He was downright rude to anyone who wasn't a Nord and even refused to visit the inn because Valga was an Imperial. His brother, Solaf, ran the general goods store, Gray Pine Goods, and was much more pleasant. Though he had once fought for the Stormcloaks, he did not have the resentment his brother had toward other races and was always quite pleasant to Mari, even apologizing on his brother's behalf on several occasions. Solaf was courting Tekla, Narri's sister, who worked as a maid for Dengeir. Narri worried about her sister immensely who, like everyone else, was treated with suspicion by her employer. The old man was convinced Tekla was spying on him for his nephew and was often quite cruel to her. Because of this, Tekla had become withdrawn from everyone else, aside from her sister and Solaf, feeling if Dengeir saw that she didn't converse with the rest of the town, he would, perhaps, trust her more. Narri often tried to talk Valga into hiring her sister on at the inn, so she would no longer have to work for the Thane, but the innkeeper just couldn't afford to take on any more employees. Narri hoped that Solaf would marry Tekla and that, perhaps, she then wouldn't have to work as a maid for the paranoid former Jarl any longer.

There was a part of Mari that would be sad to leave Falkreath when the time came. Those she had come to consider her friends would certainly be missed, but no matter how welcoming they had been, there was no home in the small town for the mage. She was bored. Content, yes, but infuriatingly bored. There was knowledge to be gleaned, spells to be cast, and a world to see - and, for her, that journey would all begin in Winterhold. She hoped.

* * *

It had been another long day at the farm. Mari was exhausted, and her back ached, though after a few goblets of wine the pain had lessened significantly. She glared down at her small hands holding the goblet in front of her. They had begun to look rough with work and were stained with soil in a way that no matter how hard she scrubbed, it just didn't seem to come off. She'd chosen to eat dinner at the tavern that night, and the great hall of the inn was bustling with patrons. So frequently was the door opening and closing as guests came and went, the elf had stopped looking up to see who had entered. She lost herself in listening the conversation at her table as Kust and Thadgeir, brother to Dengeir, argued over war related topics. She heard their voices, but the war didn't interest her much, so she was a bit lost in the conversation.

Feeling eyes on her, she looked toward the counter where last she had seen Narri. Usually when she had the feeling of being watched it was because the barmaid was watching her adoringly in between chores. Yet Narri was deep in conversation with Valga, each woman leaned over opposite sides of the wooden bar. Mari glanced around the room, her eyes falling on a figure in the shadows. At first, she didn't recognize who it was. The person wore leather armor with a cowl over her head, pulled down low so as to cast a shadow over her face. It was a woman, no doubt, and most likely Altmer based upon her build and the golden eyes peering out from beneath the hood. Mari narrowed her eyes and looked closer, breaking into a grin when she realized who it was.

Standing abruptly and startling the men at her table, she crossed the inn and stood in front of her sister. "I swear to the gods if you are just going to sit there and stare creepily at me all night without saying so much as a 'hello', I'll turn you into a pig."

Elain laughed loudly at that and stood, embracing her sister.

"How did you find me?" the shorter Altmer woman asked.

"Aerenwen," Elain explained. "I found her in Whiterun, and she told me where to find you."

Mari glanced around, seeing that their reunion was garnering quite a bit of attention from their fellow tavern-goers. "Not here," she stated quietly. "There's too many ears here tonight. Come with me." She took her sister's hand and led her out of the inn.

They walked through the quiet streets of the small town in the direction of the Hall of the Dead. Mari finally spoke again when they had taken a seat on one of the benches on the porch of Runil's home. "Sorry," she replied. "There were too many people there tonight. Too loud. Aerenwen and I caught up easily at the inn when she came to town, but it was a slow night and was easy to talk quietly without the risk of being overheard."

Elain nodded. She understood. "What is this place?" she asked, looking around at the massive cemetery sprawling amongst the trees before them. The headstones were barely discernible in the twilight.

"The Hall of the Dead," Mari replied, "and also the home of my dear friends Runil and Kust. They rescued me and nursed me back to health. They're the only ones that know the truth of who I am and how we were separated. As far as anyone else is concerned, Runil is my uncle, and I am visiting him from the Imperial City."

"He's an Altmer, then?"

Mari nodded. "He served as a battlemage during the Great War and had to flee as a fugitive from the Thalmor when he refused to continue serving them afterwards. He ended up here and devoted himself to Arkay. He's spent years serving as the town's priest and tending the graveyard. It's the biggest in Skyrim, I'm told," she added. "Full of war heroes and great leaders."

"You trust him?" Elain asked.

"I do," Mari replied.

"Good. Now how on Nirn did you end up in Falkreath?"

"I really have no idea," Mari answered with a chuckle.

After updating her sister on everything that happened in her life since their separation - from her wound to the werewolf to her plans to travel to Winterhold - it was Elain's turn.

"I backtracked to Bruma," she explained, "hoping, perhaps, when we were seperated that some of you may have gone back to the last place we had stayed. When I didn't find any of you there, I booked passage on a caravan traveling to Helgen, but by the time I arrived, the dragon had already attacked. There was a clean up effort happening, and Thalmor officials were involved, so I didn't dare to inquire as to whether any of you had made it that far. I was sticking to the shadows outside the town, trying to decide my next move, when I was approached by a Stormcloak soldier. He had survived Helgen with Aerenwen and knew she was looking for us, so when he saw how much I resembled her, he decided to introduce himself. They'd been separated during their escape, so he wasn't sure where she was, but he offered for me to travel to Windhelm along with him and his comrades, and I accepted, not really having a plan otherwise."

"Did you meet Ulfric Stormcloak?" Mari wondered, having heard so much about the man with all the political talk in town and also knowing that her other sister hadn't gotten a good impression from him.

"Yes," Elain replied. "He was in the group I was traveling with, and as he is Jarl in Windhelm, and that's where I lay my head for the moment, I've had further dealings with him. He's a pompous, racist, jerk as far as I'm concerned. His focus is on becoming High King at the expense of his hold's welfare. Argonians are basically slave labor. They do the majority of the work at the docks but aren't even allowed to enter the city's walls, and the Dunmer are relegated to the poorest and dirtiest district of the town. It's practically the sewers. It could be a beautiful city with its ancient architecture and great history, but with him running things, it's not just the weather that is harsh."

"Why have you stayed?" Mari wondered.

"I hadn't planned to," Elain replied with a shrug. "I had intended to stay long enough to get my barings and then begin searching for the rest of you in cities closer to the border, but then I heard talk of the murders and decided to help."

Mari's eyes widened. "Murders?"

"Three women had already been murdered when I got there," Elain explained, "and a fourth was killed not long after my arrival. They were all the same - murdered in the same district of the town sometime during the night. Their bodies were found in the morning, and although their clothes and valuables were still in tact, various body parts had been harvested."

"Necromancy?" Mari asked.

Elain nodded. "That is exactly what it turned out to be, but at the time, no one had any leads. Anytime the steward tried to assign more guards onto the investigation, Ulfric reassigned them to something having to do with his precious war. The citizens were terrified, afraid to leave their homes, especially the young women. The fourth girl who was killed was the barmaid at Candlehearth Hall and had been one of the few who had been kind to me in the short time I'd been there, so I guess I felt the need to help bring her killer to justice. The steward made me official investigator of the crimes, and I was able to catch the man just before he took a fifth victim."

"Was it someone you had suspected?" Mari wondered, fascinated by the whole tale.

"Yes and no," her sister answered. "Most of the townsfolk were surprised when it turned out to be him. They had thought it was the court mage because I'm sure you have figured out just how lowly most Nords seem to think of anyone who practices magicka."

Mari nodded. She had, indeed.

"Calixto was the killer's name. An Imperial. He came from wealth and had traveled around Tamriel and turned his house into a museum of sorts, displaying his large collection of oddities and artifacts he had accumulated over the years. There wasn't really anything pointing him to it until I began my investigation. First, he was one of the witnesses who had discovered Susanna's body, and when I questioned him, he claimed to have seen a man fleeing the scene in the direction of the marketplace. Yet, when I investigated the crime scene, the blood trail I found in the snow led in the opposite direction, toward the district where the wealthier family's lived. The trail ended at an abandoned home that had actually belonged to the killer's first victim. I got the key and found that he was definitely performing some sort of necromantic ritual there. I also found an amulet that I was unfamiliar with and the steward pointed me in Calixto's direction since he had a knack for random knowledge. When I showed him the amulet, he lied about what it was. Called it a wheelstone amulet and said that court mages carry it."

"Trying to pin it on the one people already suspected," Mari commented.

"Exactly," Elain agreed, "but the way he went about it was all wrong. He became desperate for me to sell him the amulet, offering me more and more money, and when I refused to sell it, he looked livid. I decided something didn't add up and rather than accuse the mage, Wuunferth, I decided, instead, to visit him. He told me the true nature of the amulet - it was the Necromancer's Amulet."

"The one created by Mannimarco?!"

"Indeed," Elain replied. "Anyway, Wuunferth had detected a pattern in the killings and expected the next one to occur soon, so that night I began patroling. I killed Calixto just as he was ready to make the blacksmith's young apprentice his fifth victim. After that, the townspeople thought so highly of me that Ulfric had little choice but to make me Thane of Hjaalmarch, despite the fact that I'm an Altmer and turned down his invitation to join the Stormcloaks. I have a home there, a very nice one, and a housecarl named Calder, a nice enough guy, I suppose. A bit dry and stuffy for my liking, but he keeps to himself and makes sure the house is well protected while I'm away. I don't ever see me asking him to travel with me, though."

"Where is the amulet now?" Mari asked, concerned that of all her sisters, it was Elain who had the legendary artifact in her possession.

"Somewhere safe," Elain replied cryptically, "until it decides to disappear again."

Mari frowned but said no more on it. "How did you find Aerenwen?"

"That's a whole other story," her sister replied with a laugh and began telling a tale of daedric lords, drinking contests, and general havoc.

The next morning, Mari found her sister sitting at a table at the inn, and she had apparently interrupted a conversation between her and Narri.

"What was that about?" she asked after the barmaid had crossed the tavern.

"Pretty sure she was marking her territory," Elain replied with a smirk.

Mari groaned. "Is it sad that part of me hopes you didn't tell her you're my sister, so we can play up you being some long lost love and maybe get her to back off a bit?"

Elain laughed. "Gross. I'd do anything for you, Mari, but I'm not pretending to be your lover."

Mari laughed as well.

"What's going on with you two?"

Mari shrugged. "The same thing that always goes on with me and anyone, or so I thought," she replied. "I have a lot of fun with her. She's beautiful, and her body is amazing. You know how I am, and I was craving the physical affections of another, and she was more than willing after we'd flirted for a couple of weeks. I thought I had made myself perfectly clear that I would be leaving before winter. Everyone here thinks I'm heading home to the Imperial City before the snow falls, but she's gotten . . . overly attached."

Elain frowned. Her reputation and proclivities were similar to her younger sister's, though she would happily bed both men and women. Sometimes together. Yet relationships just weren't her thing, and she'd yet to ever meet anyone who even made her slightly consider changing that. "When do you leave for Winterhold?"

"I'm planning on leaving by the first of Frostfall if not sooner," Mari replied.

"And she doesn't know?"

She shook her head. "She knows I'm leaving at some point, but I don't think anyone aside from Runil and Kust are aware it is happening so soon. Part of me is being selfish. I'm afraid when I tell her, she'll be hurt and won't want anything to do with me for the next week and a half or so that I'm here."

"And you don't want that?"

Mari shook her head.

"The sex is that good, huh?" Elain wondered with a smirk.

"It's amazing," Mari replied. "She is one of, if not the, best I've ever had."

Elain raised her dark eyebrows in surprise. "Yet you have no interest in settling down with her?"

"No," the shorter elf replied. "She's kind. She's got a big heart. But no. I don't. She's fearful of magic like most Nords. Anytime I even do the simplest of spells in her presence, she freaks out. And she doesn't challenge me. You know me, I don't know if I'll ever settle down, you and I have that in common, but if I ever did, it would have to be someone who challenged me. Just like Aerenwen has found with Aela and like our parents."

"It's true," Elain replied with a soft smile. "We're all so full of ourselves and used to doing things our way, if our spouse didn't stand up to us and challenge us, they'd be a doormat."

"Exactly!" Mari agreed. "Narri would be a doormat. She'd let me do anything I wanted whenever and however I wanted to. She would constantly complain about my magic, and she'd be content to live the simple life of a housewife here in Falkreath and probably never leave. She has ties here. She'll talk big about wanting to get out of town and see Skyrim, claim she's envious of the adventurers who pass through. But I don't see her ever leaving her sister. This is her home, and it's the simple sort of life that she wants."

"You do care about her," Elain observed. "You'd have to in order to have thought about all that, and it's clear the way you talk about her."

"Of course I do," Mari replied. "My encounters aren't entirely without feelings, Elain, aside from the occasional one night stand. I've spent a great deal of time with Narri, and I enjoy the time I've spent with her. I care about her, and I don't want to see her hurt, least of all by me. But I don't love her. I'm not in love with her. And I don't think I could ever be. I've tried to picture it. To picture the sort of life I would have to lead in order to avoid hurting her, and it just isn't a life I want for myself."

"Well, you know I understand, sister," Elain replied, reaching over and squeezing her hand in a sign of support. "And you can feel free to come find me in Windhelm on your way to Winterhold if you'd like to talk about it after you've broken the news to her and left."

"Thanks, Lani," Mari replied with a smile. "What about you? Any conquests to brag about?"

Elain shrugged. "Not really. I slept with Ralof once on our trip from Helgen to Windhelm, but I chose not to accept a repeat performance."

"Not good?"

"He's a good man, but he's a bit boring between the furs," she answered. "The only one who had caught my eye in Windhelm was Susanna. She came on strong, and I considered it. She was known as Susanna the Wicked, and not due to any lack of kindness or ill intent. She was a great girl from what I could tell, but the hefty tips she received at the inn were for a lot more than serving food and drink. I'm not really one to pay for bedding someone, so although I was intrigued by her, I hadn't acted on it. Then she ended up dead."

"No one else has caught your eye?" Mari asked.

"There was a priestess of Dibella in Markarth," Elain answered. "We had a lovely time together. The chemistry was that strong. I'm sure I'll visit her again, but there's no relationship potential there. No one else has really caught my eye. I absolutely would have tried for Aela if our sister wasn't already practically married to the woman."

Mari giggled. "Aren't they something? They're so in love, it's obvious. I never imaged Aerenwen would find that, and I really like Aela. She's gorgeous, has a good heart and a strong mind, and she keeps our headstrong sister on her toes. I'm happy for her."

"Me too," Elain replied. "I'm looking forward to spending more time with them. I'm heading there after I leave here tomorrow. We're off to explore a tomb near Morthal to find some horn for the Greybeards. Aerenwen has just returned from training with them."

"How did that go?" Mari asked curiously.

"Fine, I gather," Elain replied. "She got some answers she needed, but they're very cryptic and very religious. It sounded to me like her visit frustrated her more than anything. Now she's supposed to visit the tomb of their founder to retrieve his war horn for them. I'm going with them, and then I'm going to go to Solitude to see if I can find Steffen. But no, there were a couple women in Whiterun who caught my eye, but I haven't attempted anything except a few flirtations. Your innkeeper is quite attractive, though. What's her name? Valga?"

Mari smiled and cast a glance to the older woman who was accepting Dengeir's payment at the counter. "Yes, but she only plays with boys," she stated with a wrinkled nose.

Elain laughed.

"You think Steffen is in Solitude?" Mari asked. "At the Bard's College?"

"I figure it's worth looking into," her sister responded. "Aerenwen agreed."

"I do, too," Mari replied. "I've thought of that myself. What of our other sisters? Any leads there?"

"They're both well, Mari," Elain replied with a smile.

"You've seen them? Both?"

"I have. I'm sorry. I should've said something sooner. I forget that we're not all privy to the same information anymore. We're all in different worlds now, really."

"Where are they?"

"Nesta is in Riften," Elain answered. "She's a member of the Thieves' Guild and is doing quite well for herself. She's established herself in the community and has some friends and people she can trust. And Glenys . . . well, Glenys is in Markarth. She's a Thane of the Reach, and she's in love."

"Really?" Mari asked with a wide smile.

Elain nodded. "He's a Nord mercenary, and he dotes on her. They're a good match."

"Oh, that makes me so happy," Mari replied, nearly vibrating with excitement. "So we're all doing well. We're managing on our own. I never would have imagined it."

"Neither would I."


	7. Goodbyes

Chapter Five: Goodbyes (Tirdas, 30th of Hearthfire; Middas, 31st of Hearthfire)

"You're leaving, aren't you?" Narri asked quietly.

The two women lay in bed, their nude bodies wrapped around one another. Narri lay on top of the elf, the Nord's head resting upon her breast, and though she couldn't see Mari's face when she asked the question, she felt her wince.

"I am," she replied after a few quiet moments.

"When?" the Nord asked.

"Tomorrow," Mari replied. "I didn't know how to tell you, and I wanted to enjoy our last few days together without the sadness lingering in the air."

"You can't stay?"

Mari sighed. "Falkreath isn't my home, Narri," she replied. "I have studies to continue, and I wish to reach my desination before winter sets in."

"But that's not for months," Narri argued. She'd given up her hope that Mari would stay forever and was now just trying to get even a bit more time with the elf who had stolen her heart. "And you're traveling south."

"Through the mountains," Mari answered. She hated to lie to the woman. She knew she could trust Narri, yet for some reason, she'd never let her in on the truth of who she was, where she'd come from, or where she was going. As far as the Nord was concerned, Mari was returning to her home in Cyrodiil to continue her studies in the Imperial City. "Winter can come early to the mountains."

Narri sighed and nodded against the other woman's chest. Mari could feel the tears falling from her eyes onto her bare skin. "Will you ever come back?" she asked.

"I don't know, Narri," Mari replied. "I've enjoyed my time in Falkreath, and you know I've come to care about you, but we want different things from life, and I could never be truly happy here. I'm not saying I won't come and visit - because I will try my best to do so - but this place will never be my home. I'm sorry if that is harsh or if you hadn't realized that, but I don't want you waiting on me out of some misguided dream for our future. There is someone out there who can make you very happy and give you the things that I can't, and I don't want whatever you hoped this could become to hold you back from that."

Narri nodded and lifted her head. Mari frowned when she saw the woman's blue eyes swimming in tears. The Nord leaned over and kissed her lips then sat up and covered herself with the furs from the bed. "I think you should leave."

Mari nodded. She quickly climbed out of the small bed and dressed, pausing in the doorway and looking back on the heartbroken woman. "I'm sorry, Narri. I'm sorry I can't give you what you want, and I'm sorry for hurting you. I promise that was never my intention."

Narri nodded.

Mari opened the door but stopped as the other woman called out to her.

"I love you, Mari," she said, her voice having a hint of desperation to it. "I love you. I had to say it. Just once."

Mari gave the woman a sad smile and then left the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

* * *

Runil and Kust walked Mari through Falkreath after breakfast the next morning. They were both sad to see her go but understood why she needed to. Mari had fought tears as they said goodbye at the edge of the graveyard and had succumbed to those tears when they had given her a spell book and a set of novice robes.

"We didn't want you showing up at that college looking like a complete charletain," Runil teased. "I know you are much more advanced in your studies than a novice, but they'll start you out at that level nonetheless. You just be yourself and show them your talents, and you will rise through the ranks in no time."

They stood outside the inn, saying a second round of goodbyes. Zaria had joined them and had some potions and a few rare alchemical ingredients in a bag as a parting gift for her friend. Mari had confessed to Zaria where she was truly going.

"You make sure and write to us," the Redguard insisted. "And if they don't treat you well up there, you let us know."

Mari laughed and hugged her friend. As she made her way toward the gate, walking away from three of her favorite people, she glanced toward the inn and saw Narri standing on the porch, leaned against the wall with her arms crossed. She didn't say anything. She didn't even wave, but she had come to see Mari off, and that made the elf smile. Maybe someday, when the Nord woman had gotten over the pain of her leaving, she would be able to look back upon what they had shared with fondness, and perhaps, someday, she could even call her a friend.

* * *

The trip to Whiterun had taken much of the day. Mari wasn't conditioned for long distance travel on foot, and it didn't help that she collected any interesting flora she came across and had felt the need to explore the ruins of Helgen. It was much worse than she had ever imagined, and she thanked the gods that her sister had survived her ordeal there. In Riverwood, she stopped at the inn to rest and eat a midday meal. The Nord man who did the cooking wasn't terribly chatty, but she did have some good conversation with a man called Embry who was already drunk despite the early hour. He knew Aerenwen well and bought a mug of mead for the sister of the 'greatest elf he ever met'.

Whiterun was a sight to see, and although Mari hadn't decided if she would stay there long previously, as soon as she saw the beautiful city rising out of the plains like a man-made mountain, she decided she would need to take some time to explore it. This idea was further affirmed in her mind when she stepped through the gates and saw the busy, welcoming community within the walls that her sister now considered home. The buildings were well-kept and quite different in architecture compared to those in Falkreath. The townspeople were friendly. As she walked down the street, she never heard a disparaging comment about her being an elf, and the looks she garnered were not of contempt or distrust but rather friendliness and curiosity. A few even greeted her with "welcome to Whiterun, elf!" And there wasn't a cloud in the blue sky. The atmosphere was entirely different than the dreariness of Falkreath. She could certainly see why Aerenwen was so at home in the city, and if she hadn't been so set on checking out the college in Winterhold, she probably would have decided to stay as well.

She hadn't traveled far into the city when she saw a familiar face. Aela the Huntress sat on a set of steps at the front of a small home, sharpening a dagger with a wetstone.

"Hello," she stated as she stepped up to Aela.

The Nord warrior glanced up and smiled when she saw who had greeted her. "Mari, it's good to see you. Welcome to Whiterun," she stated as she stood. "What brings you here?"

"I'm on my way to Winterhold," she replied, "and thought I would stop to visit for a time as I passed through."

"Aerenwen will be thrilled," Aela replied, "though I'm afraid she's not home right now. She had an errand in Kynesgrove for all this Dragonborn business, and I'm not entirely sure how long she'll be away. You're obviously welcome to stay, though, and I hope you're able to do so long enough to see her return."

"I can probably manage that," Mari replied. "If it isn't an imposition."

"None at all," Aela insisted. "Your sister told you that you're welcome here any time. I've been staying with Hamish until Lydia returns, which should be sometime tonight. But aside from working, I'll be around, and I'll do what I can to keep you entertained in Aerenwen's absence. Besides, it will be great to get to know you better." She opened the wooden door behind her. "Come in. Have a seat. I'm sure you're tired after traveling from Falkreath on foot."

Mari followed the other woman into the home. It was a small cottage but extremely homey and inviting. Bookshelves overflowing with books and weapon racks heavy with weapons spoke to the personality of the home's owner. A fire burned in a small pit not far from the door, and delicious aromas wafted out of a pot hanging above it.

"I have some horker stew cooking," Aela explained. "It should be done soon. I would expect Hamish back at any time now. He'll be pleased to meet you. Sit, sit." Aela insisted, gesturing to one of the chairs by the fire. "Can I get you anything to drink? Some wine? Are you hungry? We have some fruit and cheese you could snack on until the stew is ready."

Mari chuckled at the woman's eagerness to make her comfortable. "Some wine would be lovely," she replied, "but I will be fine waiting for the stew. I stopped in Riverwood for lunch."

"Good," Aela replied. She sat down in the chair beside Mari and appeared a bit nervous. "I'm sorry. You've got me a bit out of sorts. I just want to make you as comfortable here as your sister would, and I admit, I'm still a bit nervous when it comes to getting to know you all. I'm already so invested in Aerenwen that I just want us all to get along. I know how much you all mean to her. I'm not used to big families. I was an only child. And now I'm rambling."

Mari laughed and smiled at the woman. "Just relax, Aela. I promise you, as long as you keep that smile on my sister's face that I saw when you two visited Falkreath, you and I will always get along just fine. Now what is our dear Aerenwen off doing now? Elain told me she'd met with the Greybeards and that she was accompanying you on a trip to explore some tomb. Now what's happening with the Dragonborn?"

"Well," Aela replied with a frown, "she's in Kynesgrove waiting for some dragon to come back from the dead, so she can kill it with some random woman who knows a great deal about the history of dragons and Dragonborns but won't tell Aerenwen anything until she has proven that she is Dragonborn by killing a dragon and absorbing its soul in front of her."

Mari stared at the woman, her amber-colored eyes wide. "I think I'm going to need you to start from the beginning with that one."

 **Author's Note: There's the end of the second part of Mari's story. She's left Falkreath and has set off to travel deeper into Skyrim and begin her adventures. We'll pick up with her story again later. For now, let's check in on Nesta in Riften . . .**


	8. Whiterun

**Previously in Mari's story - Mari was separated from her siblings and wounded during a skirmish between Imperial soldiers and Stormcloak rebels. She wandered through the mountains and found herself in Falkreath where she was healed and befriended by Runil, priest of Arkay. She remained in Falkreath for about six weeks, making friends and working, but the end of Hearthfire found her ready to leave the town and head north to the College of Winterhold, stopping to visit her sisters on the way. She arrived in Whiterun and was greeted by Aela since Aerenwen was away in Kynesgrove on Dragonborn business.**

Part Three: Frostfall

Chapter One: Whiterun (1st thru 6th of Frostfall)

Mari enjoyed the city of Whiterun immensely. She spent time in her sister's home and got to know Aela and Hamish well. The more she knew of the Huntress, the more she decided the Nord was the perfect match for her sister, and Hamish was a darling child she was proud to now think of as her nephew. He was too young to have established the suspicion of magicka that most Nords seemed to harbor and always looked on with wide, excited eyes when Mari took a few moments to show off her skills for the boy.

She'd made herself at home in the small cottage and enjoyed the company of Lydia, her sister's housecarl. She was a quiet and stoic Nord, but her loyalty to Aerenwen and her adoration of Hamish were obvious, and she made Mari feel welcome and comfortable while she stayed there.

When Aela was busy with Companions' business, and Hamish was off playing with his friends, Mari kept herself entertained by exploring the city and chatting with the locals who, as soon as they found out she was Aerenwen's sister, were thrilled to regale her with tales of the elder woman's heroism.

She spent a great deal of time at Arkadia's Cauldron, the city's alchemy shop. The alchemist and shop's namesake was an older Imperial woman with a great deal of knowledge. Though she'd had no formal training, her skills were undeniable, and she and Mari traded lessons, spells, and formulas on many an afternoon.

Of specific interest to Mari during her time in the city was the Gildergreen, a large, near-dead tree in the center of the city. Wanting to know more about it, she'd chatted with the priestess, Danica, at the Temple of Kyne located nearby. Danica had explained that the tree was descended from the Eldergleam, a great, magical tree located in the east. The Eldergleam was possibly one of the oldest living things in Skyrim and was considered to be sacred to the goddess Kyne. Pilgrims ventured to the sanctuary where it was located to pay homage to the tree and make offerings to the goddess, and many years before, the sapling that was now known as the Gildergreen was harvested from that sanctuary and planted in Whiterun.

Now, the Gildergreen did not look well. It had been struck by lightning the previous year. To the casual observer, it appeared to be dead, but Danica assured Mari it was only sleeping. Apparently trees like that never actually died. The priestess was trying to work out a way to heal the tree - to wake it up, in a sense - as Whiterun and its temple had once been the basis of its own pilgrimages thanks to the Gildergreen. A dead-looking tree didn't exactly draw patronage, but thus far, Danica hadn't had any ideas.

Arkadia had claimed that sap from the Eldergleam would heal the tree. She'd read accounts that its sap could restore barren fields and long-dead forests, but as far as she knew, since the ancient tree was older than metal and had magical properties, no weapon could cut it. Yet there must have been a way if, centuries before, people had written of the healing properties of its sap. They were still working on the finer details of how they could achieve harvesting some sap when Aerenwen returned to her home.

Mari's elder sister had been successful in her attempt to kill another dragon in Kynesgrove but seemed to have been given more questions than answers. Mari found herself wishing that her old Nan, a woman who had been obsessed with dragons and their lure, was still alive to share her knowledge. She'd tried, herself, to find some more information for her sister, but so far, wasn't finding much of use in her research. She wondered if the College of Winterhold held any tomes on the topic, and she decided, as soon as she was granted access to its library, she would continue her hunt for any more information she could find that may help her sister.

Not long after her return, Aerenwen disappeared for a few days. Mari didn't worry about her as Aela was gone as well, and Farkas, another Companion whom she had gotten to know through her sister and the Huntress, assured her that they were gone on official business. She kept herself busy with her research alongside Danica and Arkadia, and they had just uncovered some information on an ancient weapon known as Nettlebane when Aerenwen returned to the city.

There was something different about her elder sister, something Mari couldn't quite put her finger on. She didn't have the opportunity to question her on it as while they were on whatever mission they had just returned from, a shield-brother, Skjor, had been killed. Aerenwen was tied up consoling Aela to whom the older man, Mari had learned, had been like a father to. The Huntress was racked with grief and bubbling with anger, and so since whatever change in Aerenwen Mari had sensed didn't seem to be bad or something the elder woman wished to discuss, Mari set her curiosity aside. She adored her sister, as she did all her siblings, but it was true that while she, Steffen, and Glenys rarely had secrets between them and shared a tight bond, Aerenwen, Elain, and Nesta had always shared their own bond and some of the details of their lives would always be removed from their younger siblings.

Soon, it was time for Mari to move on. As much as she enjoyed Whiterun and felt at home there, she still wished to reach the far north before the weather worsened with the upcoming winter, and she wanted to spend a bit of time in Windhelm visiting with Elain since it wasn't too far out of the way. She wished she had the time to visit her other siblings - she'd recently learned that Steffen was, indeed, in Solitude studying at the Bard's College - but knew that would have to wait.

As she packed her things, she decided to leave the ring and armor that had been gifted to her from Hircine behind and laid them out on the chest in the corner of her sister's bedroom. She wasn't a warrior and had no use for them. Though she couldn't imagine her sister ever making a deal with the daedric lord and handing her soul over to him in exchange for becoming a werewolf, perhaps she could still find some use for the items, the armor especially, considering the nature of her life's work.

It was early morning when she made her way out of the city's walls, Aerenwen walking along beside her.

"Keep in touch," her sister stated. "You know I'll worry."

Mari smiled but nodded her agreement. "You as well," she replied. "You have a lot more going on in your life that causes reason for worry," she teased.

Aerenwen chuckled. "If my business ever brings me to the north, I'll look in on you at the college," she offered as they stopped at the hired carriage Mari had procured for her journey to Windhelm, "and say hello to Elain for me."

"I will," Mari replied. "Take care of Aela. We both know what it's like to lose a father, but she should also know that her birth father asks after her in Falkreath whenever he swings by the inn."

Aerenwen's eyes widened in surprise. "You met him?"

"Many times," Mari replied. "Niall's a good man, and I think he truly regrets how he handled things with Aela and the distance it created between them."

Aerenwen nodded, seeming to think on this a bit.

"Why do I always fear when I say goodbye to you it will be for the last time?" Mari asked with a sigh. She tossed her bag of possessions up into the carriage and played with the edge of her dress. Though she preferred her mage's robes and had been comfortable enough in Whiterun to wear them, she knew, while traveling through Skyrim, she shouldn't advertise her magicka practices.

Aerenwen shook her head. "We'll meet again, sister," she promised. "Our stories are far from over."


	9. Windhelm

Chapter Two: Windhelm (Seventh thru Thirteenth of Frostfall)

The ancient city of Windhelm was frigid, and its residents weren't any warmer. When Mari first arrived, she'd had a difficult time getting anyone to talk to her without some sort of racial slur, let alone give her any information on where to find her sister. She'd finally found a fellow Altmer manning a stall in the market, a woman by the name of Niranye, who was polite enough if not a bit condescending. She'd pointed Mari in the direction of Elain's home, and though the young elf had gotten lost a few times in the city's labirynth of streets, she found it and had been received warmly by its owner.

Elain had been both surprised and thrilled to see her younger sister. She'd quickly introduced her to her stoic housecarl, making sure the man knew that Mari was more than welcomed to stay there as long as she liked whether his Thane was at home or not.

"I don't trust him," Mari commented when the man had been dismissed from the home to allow the women to catch up in private, "and obviously you don't either. Aerenwen never felt the need to make Lydia leave the premises in order to discuss anything."

Elain shrugged. "He serves a purpose," she replied simply. "His loyalty is with Stormcloak, not with me. Right now, there is no reason to worry, but I would rather he not know my secrets. He assumes that Nesta is with the Thieves' Guild, but that gives Stormcloak nothing to hold over my head. I'd rather he not know about our history or the fact that Aerenwen is Dragonborn, however."

Mari tilted her head in curiosity. "Why not?"

"He knows I do not sympathize with the Thalmor, but I don't trust him to not give away my location if it benefited him once he learned of my felony status," she explained, "and I've heard and seen, first hand, of how he uses Nord legends and pride to strengthen his cause. The Dragonborn is one of those things, and having Aerenwen support his cause would, no doubt, bolster it. I don't trust him to not try to force her into doing so, even if it meant using me for leverage."

Mari frowned at the information. "So you don't discuss anything in your housecarl's presence that you don't want to get back to the Jarl," she surmised.

"Correct," Elain replied. "I don't really discuss anything in his presence. He guards my home and my belongings, and I have no doubt that if there were a threat to my welfare while I'm here, he would defend me. It would bring shame to him if his Thane was harmed under his watch. I trust him with those things, but aside from that, we're not friends. I'm probably a mystery to him, but I'm away a lot and as long as he does his job in my absence, I've no reason to bring shame upon him by dismissing him."

Mari nodded her understanding.

"Now tell me, how did leaving the barmaid go?" Elain wondered.

Mari shrugged. "She was hurt."

"You knew she would be."

"Yes, but I left with her knowing not to wait for me," she continued. "There's a good man who frequents the inn, a Nord hunter, who fancies her. I have hope that she will find what she's looking for in him now that I'm gone."

Elain nodded. "And how was Whiterun?"

"Good. It's a beautiful city," Mari replied. "I would've liked to stay longer. The people are kind."

Her sister nodded her agreement. "This city would be just as beautiful, if not more so, if not for its miserable weather and hostile inhabitants. Let it be known that you're my sister while you're here. They respect me. Nesta had a lot more luck in getting people to accept her while she was staying here once they knew of our connection."

"How is Nesta?" Mari asked.

"She's Nesta," Elain replied with a chuckle. "Causing loads of trouble and yet still winning people's hearts."

Mari giggled. That was an apt description of their sister. Though Nesta had probably caused more trouble and broken more laws in her life than all of the other siblings combined, it was rare to come across someone who disliked her.

"She finished up her business here in Windhelm with raging success," Elain continued. "The Thieves' Guilds presence is once again alive and well in this city, and she's off to continue earning their fear and respect back in other locales. She'll probably be running the organization before she's done."

"I can't wait to see her," Mari stated. "Aerenwen told me you'd been to see Steffen as well."

Elain nodded. "He's doing very well and is quite happy in his studies. He's gained back all the weight he lost while imprisoned and looks more like himself. He has some friends and is safe in Solitude."

"I hope we can all get together before the year is out," Mari stated with a sigh. "I'm glad to see any of you whenever I can, but it's so odd to not be able to gather as a group from time to time."

"I'm sure it will happen in time," her sister reassured her.

Their conversations continued well into the night. Later, they stood outside the two bedrooms on the second floor of the home.

"I'll probably be gone before you rise in the morning," Elain said. "I will be out of town for a few days. You're welcome to stay here as long as you like, and I hope you're still here when I return."

"I can probably stay for a week or so," Mari offered. "Where are you going?"

"Here and there," her sister answered cryptically. "I suggest you visit Nurelion at his alchemist shop in the market. I have no doubt you'll find him fascinating. The Gray Quarter, where the Dunmer live, is also worth a visit."

Mari nodded. "Safe travels, sister."

* * *

Nurelion had, indeed, turned out to be a fascinating man. He was an aged Altmer with red hair and ran his shop, The White Phial, off Windhelm's marketplace along with his apprentice, a young Imperial man named Quintus. According to Quintus, Nurelion's reputation had brought him to Skyrim, and once she got to know the quick-tempered and surly old elf, she could understand why. She'd read some of his writings during her studies, and he was, quite possibly, the most knowledgeable alchemist she'd ever met, aside from her professors.

The old man's time was mostly spent on researching an artifact known as The White Phial, which he had named his shop after. It was apparently an ancient bottle that would magically replenish any substance kept within it. His fascination with the artifact was what had brought him to Skyrim, and he'd used it as a namesake for his shop hoping that anyone with any knowledge on the Phial's location would be drawn there. Unfortunately, despite decades of research, he'd yet to ascertain its whereabouts, but he was nothing if not determined.

Mari spent some time aiding him in his research and promised to look into whether or not anyone at the college had any knowledge of it once she'd arrived.

The Gray Quarter, despite its filth and disrepair, was probably her most favorite place within the harsh city. The Dunmer residents were friendlier than the Nords, and despite the history of animosity between them and her own race, within the walls of Windhelm, all elves shared a kinship because of the discrimination they faced from the local Nords.

Of special interest within the Gray Quarter was the New Gnisis Cornerclub, and, more specifically, a particular Dunmer sailor by the name of Voldsea Giryon. She sailed aboard a ship called the North Wind which was laying ground in Windhelm to undergo some repairs. Voldsea had short red hair and a flirtatious nature, and for once, Mari had found herself being wooed instead of the other way around.

Voldsea had bought her a drink and told her tales of adventure, and it wasn't long before they were falling together in the bed Mari was using while staying at her sister's house. During her week in Windhelm, Mari would share her bed with Voldsea every night after that first time, and found herself fascinated by the charcoal-colored skin and bright red eyes of the Dunmer. She'd never bedded a Dunmer woman before.

Like her, Voldsea had little interest in pursuing a relationship or developing feelings. Her career as a sailor had her at sea more often than not, and she seemed thrilled to have found someone who was willing to sate her needs while on dry land without looking for any sort of future together.

Elain had returned home on one of these nights, entering her kitchen to find her younger sister sprawled out on the table in the kitchen with her skirt around her waist and a Dunmer's head between her legs. She'd simply raised a dark eyebrow at Mari who smirked at her in response and waved a hand at her as if it to tell her to leave the room before her companion sensed her presence and stopped doing what she was doing to her. She'd then cried out and slammed her golden-eyes shut when Voldsea found just the right spot with her talented tongue, and Elain had sighed and shook her head before turning and leaving the room. It wasn't the first time the sisters had walked in on each other in the throes of passion, and Mari doubted it would be the last.

Spending time with Voldsea was refreshing and was much more Mari's speed than the time she had spent with Narri in Falkreath. They explored Windhelm, shared drinks, and the Dunmer even showed Mari around the ship she called home, but they didn't discuss their personal lives or their plans for the future. Their families and pasts were a mystery to each other, despite the fact that Elain was Mari's sister (she'd introduced the two women, though only out of necessity since she was currently staying in Elain's home). They laughed and teased. They flirted and fucked. But they knew after they parted ways when Mari continued her journey to Winterhold, there was an excellent chance they'd never see each other again, and both were more than fine with that.

Elain had disappeared again after returning home the first time, and Mari suspected her eldest sister was up to something. She had no idea what, but the dark-haired Altmer was being more secretive than ever, and Mari worried about what trouble she was getting herself into.

As they left the city, walking toward the stables where a carriage waited to bring Mari the rest of the way to Winterhold, she decided to question the other woman.

"What are you up to?" she asked, eyes narrowed.

Elain smirked at her but didn't reply.

Mari knew her sister well enough to know that she wasn't going to get any answers that Elain didn't want to reveal. If anyone had any chance of getting information out of her, it would have been Nesta, or maybe even Aerenwen, but definitely not Mari or any of the others. Even with those she was closest to, it was always unlikely for Elain to share something she didn't want to.

"Just tell me you're staying safe," Mari instructed with a sigh, "promise you're being careful, and by the gods, tell me it has nothing to do with the Necromancer's Amulet."

Elain chuckled and shook her head. "I don't know why you all and Mother were always so convinced I was going to end up a necromancer. While I may feel that the practice has some uses and shouldn't be outlawed, it doesn't mean I have any uses for it or am going to start using it. My fascination with that school is no different than you than your own desire to learn more about poisons."

Mari frowned but conceded that her sister had a point. "I just worry. We all do. You have a darkness about you sometimes, Lani, and I'm not just talking about your hair."

Elain rolled her golden eyes. "I'm being careful, and I'm staying safe. Don't waste your worries on me, Mari. Focus on your studies and that dark beauty who has become so fond of burying her head between your legs."

Mari frowned. "I won't see Voldsea again."

Her sister smirked and nodded toward the stables where a familiar woman stood leaned against a post in the falling snow. "That's why she came to see you off then?" Elain winked. "Safe travels, sister. Send word when you're all settled into your new home."

Mari hugged her sister and watched for a moment as she made her way back toward the city gates. She then turned and wandered over to Voldsea. "I'm surprised to see you here."

The Dunmer smirked and trailed her red eyes up and down Mari's figure. "You know, like yourself, I don't do relationships, Mari, but I have thoroughly enjoyed passing my time with you and wished to say a proper goodbye. I won't lie. I hope someday our paths cross again."

Mari smiled and stepped toward the other woman. Despite the fact that most Altmer were taller than Dunmer, Mari was shorter than average and stood in equal height to the taller than average Dunmer. "I would not be opposed to that," she replied as she wrapped her arms around Voldsea's waist. "If you're ever in Winterhold, look me up."

"I can guarantee, if my travels ever take me ashore there, I will most definitely be doing that," Voldsea replied. "You are a fascinating woman Mariwen. I hope, for my sake, no one ever convinces you to settle down so that if we do meet again, you'll be available for some more enjoyment."

This caused Mari to laugh, and the darker elf stole a kiss from her smiling lips.

"Safe travels, Mari," Voldsea offered as she stepped away.

Mari climbed into the carriage and sent the other woman a small wave and a wink.

 **Author's Note: Apparently when the stomach flu doesn't have me sleeping or curled up in the fetal position, it gives me time to write. I've been particularly inspired lately and already have this portion of Mari's story finished as well as Nesta's and only have one chapter left of Elain's - they just need to be edited before posting. So over my next week of vacation, you can expect a chapter posted almost daily rather than just once a week. :)**


	10. The College

Chapter Three: The College (14th thru 22nd of Frostfall)

Winterhold, like Windhelm, was snow-covered, but unlike the walled city Mari had spent the last week in, it was warmer. Despite its coastal location, it wasn't as windy, and she found the cold air a bit more bearable. She arrived to a clear sky and the setting sun, and as she disembarked from the carriage and tipped the driver, she looked around in curiosity at the former great city that was now barely a village.

Just as Aela and others had described, it was tiny and in great disrepair. A few buildings were decent enough, but most were just skeletons of former structures. The edges of the town were wide cliffs, and Mari could just imagine other portions of the once-great city falling into the sea as the ground trembled. She could see the College, sitting precariously on land that had somehow not fallen, and while she doubted their suspicions were true, she could understand why the local Nords felt the mages there had been the cause of the destruction just by the way it seemed to have been spared.

She walked down the one road of the town, passing buildings that, from the signs, she could tell were an inn and a general store as well as what appeared to be the Jarl's longhouse and a few small cottages. The architecture was much like that of Falkreath, simple and rustic, but covered with snow rather than moss and mildew from humidity.

The bridges that led to the college began at a large, stone arch which was guarded by two sentries.

"Entrance to the college is prohibited aside from students and staff," one of them told her.

"I am a prospective student," she replied.

He nodded, and the other sentry disappeared up the long bridge. He soon returned with an Altmer woman. She was blonde and appeared older than Mari though not as old as her mother.

"Welcome," she stated with an appraising look at the younger elf. "I am Faralda. I'm told you wish to study with us. Tell me, what are your intentions with what you may learn here?"

"I wish to expand my knowledge on the magical arts," Mari replied, "and I wish to unravel the mysteries of Aetherius." It was true and was a bit more lofty a goal than just wishing to become a great mage.

"Ah, the immortal plane," Faralda replied with a nod. "It is said to be the source of all magic. A noble goal, indeed. So you wish to unravel the sources of magic and understand it, rather than just master its applications then?"

Mari nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

"If you wish to gain entry into the college, I will need you to show that you already have some basic understanding," Faralda continued. "Even our novice students are more advanced than your typical, untrained magicka practitioner. Do you see the college emblem in the stone behind me?"

Mari looked around her and could see a large eye carved into the stone. Assuming that was what she was referring to, she nodded.

"Excellent," Faralda replied. "Show me a display of destruction magicka. Cast your spell at the seal."

Mari took a breath and concentrated. She summoned fire to her right hand, but rather than sending it out in a spurt of flame like anyone who knew even basic destruction spells could do, she brought her left hand up and formed her palms into a ball around the flame. She drew back as if to throw it, and a bolt of fire flew from her palm and exploded upon reaching the emblem.

Faralda looked pleased. "You've had some training," she commented with what sounded like a bit of pride. "That's excellent. Tell me, what is your name?"

"Mariwen," she replied, "though most call me Mari."

"Judging from your accent, you're not from Skyrim," the elder elf commented. "How long since you left our homeland?"

"Just a couple of months," Mari answered. "I wished to study at the college but visited friends and family along my journey here."

Faralda nodded. "Very well. Many prospective students come to us, and we do not accept them all, but you, Mariwen, I think would be a wonderful addition to our student body. Please follow me. I will grant you access to our college and introduce you to our master wizard."

Mari nodded and followed the woman up the narrow causeway. Each bridge met at a rounded platform. At the center of each bridge was a pool of water, and Mari watched in fascination as Faralda used an unknown spell directed at these pools to clear the fog obstructing their path and open the final gate that led onto the campus.

"Ah, there she is now," Faralda commented.

Mari followed her down a stone path through the center of the courtyard toward where two people were talking. The courtyard was within the walls of the college. The edges consisted of covered, rounded paths, and two large buildings stood on either side of the entrance, extending out beyond the walls. The path that Mari currently walked bisected the courtyard with deep snow on each side of it and ended with the tallest building of all - an ornate structure with grand doors and stained glass windows decorated with the same eye emblem. Directly in front of the doors was a large statue and another of those magical pools, a shaft of blue light rising out of it into the sky.

The two people they approached seemed to be in the midst of an argument. One, whom Mari assumed was the master wizard based only upon Faralda's use of a feminine pronoun, was an older, yet very attractive, Breton woman wearing simple mage robes. The other, much to Mari's dismay, was an Altmer man with chin-length blonde hair and the familiar embroidered robes of a Thalmor official.

"I believe I've made myself rather clear," the woman was stating with a stern expression.

The Thalmor sighed. "Yes of course," he replied. "I'm simply trying to understand the reasoning behind the decision."

"You may be used to the Empire bowing to your every whim," the master wizard stated firmly, "but I'm afraid you'll find the Thalmor receive no such treatment here. You are a guest at the college, here at the pleasure of the Arch-Mage. I hope you appreciate the opportunity."

This made Mari feel a bit better. She was afraid when she saw the Thalmor there that the people she was hiding from had found their way into the college administration. It seemed he was simply an observer, but she'd have to remain wary of his presence.

"Yes of course," the man replied again, obviously back-pedaling a bit at realizing he had overstepped. "The Arch-Mage has my thanks."

"Very good," the woman replied. "Then we're done here."

Mari watched as the Thalmor official stormed into the main building, and the Breton turned toward them with a sigh. She smiled a tired smile when her brown eyes landed on them. "Ah, Faralda, who do we have here?"

"Allow me to introduce a prospective student," Faralda replied, laying her hand on Mari's shoulder. "This is Mariwen, and she already seems to possess some knowledge and training. I think she would make an excellent addition to our student body. Mariwen, allow me to introduce our master wizard, second only to the Arch-Mage in the college administration, Mirabelle Ervine."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am," Mari said with a small smile and a nod of respect.

"You as well, Mariwen," Mirabelle replied. "Welcome to the college. Faralda, you may return to your business. I'll take over from here."

Faralda nodded and bid Mari farewell before wandering off across the courtyard in the direction they had come from.

"Tell me, Mariwen, have you had any formal training in the past?" Mirabelle asked when they were alone.

Mari was silent for a moment, going over her options. On one hand, she could lie but that would not do her skills justice, and there was the risk that her teachers here would suspect she had lied once they saw her in action, thereby losing both their trust and respect. Based upon the interaction she had just witnessed, she assumed that this woman had no allegiance to the Thalmor and was actually more annoyed than anything by the presence of one of them at the college, so she decided on discretion but honesty.

"I have," Mari replied, "but due to the guest I just observed, I would prefer to leave my past in the past."

Mirabelle tilted her head in curiosity and glanced back toward the doorway the Thalmor had disappeared through, obviously making the connection. She raised a single, brown eyebrow and smirked at Mari. "I suspect there is a story there I would very much like to hear when I have earned your trust," she stated, "but for now, we will start you out at the novice level in the interest of discretion and state that your training has been informal until your arrival here. I am going to assume, and not repeat to anyone, that your formal training took place within the Dominion and that you wish not to draw attention to it. I will only ask if it is because of a problem with your studies or with the political nature of the guest to whom you just referred."

"My studies were very successful," Mari replied with a smile. "I was an advanced student in several arts, apprentice-level in others. Unfortunately, my adeptness, as well as my family's political leaning, garnered me some unwanted attention, and it grew to be in my best interest to leave my home and pursue my studies elsewhere. My problems had nothing to do with my studies or anything of a magical nature, simply with the political faction in charge of my homeland."

Mirabelle nodded and looped her arm through Mari's, leading her away from the large building. "You can be assured our college holds no political faction. We stay out of this war and conduct our affairs internally. Some people just can't leave well enough alone, but I assure you, I will do everything within my power to ensure your safety while studying here, no matter who the Arch-Mage may accept as guests." She took a breath. "Now, on to a brief campus tour. The College of Winterhold has been a fixture in Skyrim for a great many years. Behind us is the Hall of Elements," she stated with a nod toward the large building they were now walking away from. "It is our primary location for lectures, practice sessions, and general meetings. The Arcanaeum, our large library, is located above the hall, and the Arch-Mage's quarters are located above that. While technically in charge of the college, the Arch-Mage's responsibilities often keep him occupied. Thus, I run the day-to-day operations."

They had reached the end of the path and were standing at the gate Mari had previously entered. "Unfortunately," Mirabelle continued, "we've had to adopt some more stringent entry procedures due to hostilities with the local Nords, hence the sentries and magical barriers to the college. We don't anticipate any real violence, but it's always better to prepared. Now that you've been granted entrance, you will see that the College's symbol appears as a sigel on your wrist."

Mari glanced down and pulled back the sleeve of her dress, noticing that, indeed, the symbol of the eye appeared like a white-tinged scar on the inside of her right wrist. She marveled at its appearance and wondered how they had done it.

"The way will always be open for you as long as you bear the sigel," Mirabelle explained. "It will only disappear if, for some reason, you are expelled and banned from the grounds.

"This is the Hall of Attainment where our students reside." She opened the large door and led Mari into a stone-walled hall. It, like the college itself, had a spherical shape. In the center of the main room was another magical well, and the room was surrounded by small rooms. "You'll share this space with your fellow apprentices who you'll meet shortly. This will be your room."

Mari entered the doorway of the first room on the right and smiled at its warm atmosphere. Bookshelves lined one wall, a comfortable-looking bed was pressed against another, and a small table, two chairs, a dresser, and a desk also filled the space.

"We do ask that you keep the noise down when within the hall," Mirabelle stated. "Others may be conducting research or delicate experiments. Myself, as well as the other professors, are located in the Hall of Countenance which is on the other side of the entry gate. Students are welcome to visit our quarters at any time between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. They are only permitted during the off hours at the express permission of one of the faculty.

"Now, I'll give you some time to get settled," the Breton said with a kind smile. "There is a small dining room on the second floor that is always well stocked by our cook. There are not set times for meals as the nature of our studies and practices often doesn't follow a set schedule. Mages tend to keep odd hours. Whenever you're hungry, help yourself. You will begin your studies under Tolfgir, one of our most esteemed wizards and, currently, the most veteran wizard on our campus. We have a unique course of studying here, and pupils are allowed to complete their studies at their own pace. We have two other new students beginning with him tomorrow. I'm actually quite surprised with the influx of students as of late. There are two who have been with us for close to a year now as well, and a few whose studies are so advanced, they are mostly independent in their research now. We don't generally have more than a half dozen students at a time. We prefer to be able to focus intensely on those we teach and also have the time to conduct our research, rather than attempting to spread ourselves too thin with a large student body."

Mari nodded. It was very unlike her previous college, but it made sense, especially given the college's location. There probably weren't a great deal of people in Skyrim pounding on their door looking to learn the ways of magicka.

"Do you have any questions, Mariwen?" Mirabelle asked.

"Um, yes, fees?" the young Altmer wondered. "No one has discussed any fees."

Mirabelle smiled. "Your first week here will be considered a trial period. If at the end of the trial, you are considered a worthy student, and you wish to continue, we will discuss payments and scholarships. We have some very generous benefactors, and we have never had to turn away a student based on an inability to pay for their studies."

Mari smiled and sighed with relief. She had some coin, yes, but nothing that would have even put a dent in the tuition her parents had paid to the school in Firsthold.

"Tolfdir will be speaking with the new students in the Hall of Elements first thing in the morning," Mirabelle explained. "Until then, relax, settle in, explore . . . welcome home, Mariwen."

Mari had done just that. She had changed into the novice robes and hood that Mirabelle had told her were in her dresser and wandered around the dormitory, finding the dining room. There was also a small study room on the second floor, and she saw three people - a Dunmer man, an Argonian woman, and a Breton man - who were obviously the more advanced students based upon their robes. They hadn't been outwardly friendly, but they weren't rude either. She hadn't attempted to make conversation, however, and had simply grabbed a bite to eat and wandered back downstairs.

Once there, she encountered the first of her peers. She smirked and allowed her eyes to trail over the appealing curves of the young Dunmer woman. Apparently her encounters with Voldsea had given her a soft spot for women of the Dark Elf variety because the reaction she had to this woman, who was younger than the sailor, was instantaneous. Mari approached her with a smile and knocked lightly on the doorframe since the woman was reading in a chair that was in what was, probably, her quarters.

"Hello," Mari stated, leaning against the doorframe after the Dunmer looked up from her book.

"Hello," the woman replied, though she seemed more cautious and surprised by the greeting than anything else.

"I'm Mari," the Altmer said with a friendly smile. "I just arrived, and I believe we'll be studying together. I wanted to introduce myself."

The Dunmer stood up and laid her book down on the table. She wore the same robes as Mari but currently wasn't wearing her hood, displaying long, black hair. "I am Brelyna," she stated, extending her hand for a handshake.

Mari, of course, accepted the other woman's handshake and allowed her fingertips to softly graze over the inside of the Dunmer's wrist as they broke the contact. Because of the other woman's charcoal-tone skin, it was difficult to be sure, but Mari thought she saw a faint blush tinge Brelyna's cheeks.

"I'm sorry," the Dunmer stated with a shake of her head. "Our fellow students haven't really gone out of their way to introduce themselves, and your introduction caught me off guard. I'm not usually so rude, though I do tend to keep to myself."

Mari smiled. "We're going to work together. I thought it would be nice to at least have one familiar face in the group when our lessons began, especially a face as beautiful as yours."

Now she knew for certain that the other woman blushed.

"As for keeping to yourself," Mari continued, "I have my own reasons and history that give me cause not to trust strangers, but you can retain privacy without completely warding everyone else off. Where's the fun without getting a little up close and personal?"

Brelyna chuckled and shook her head. "You're going to be trouble," she commented, though she was smirking when she said it. "Do you get up close and personal with a lot of people, Mari? Or is it just women?"

Mari grinned. "Just women," she answered with a shrug, "and I've become intimately acquainted with more than my fair share. I don't do relationships, but a mutually beneficial relationship with a beautiful Dunmer who wished to focus on studies and find some occasional relief in my arms wouldn't be something I would turn away from."

Brelyna seemed to study Mari for a moment. "Is your taste Dunmer specific?" she finally asked. "Or will you be presenting this offer to all of the eligible females within the College's walls?"

"It's a recently acquired taste," Mari answered, "but one I am more than willing to continue exploring. As for the others, I won't lie and say that I won't be looking, but if you were in my bed at night, I wouldn't really have a reason to be looking elsewhere, would I?"

Brelyna chuckled. "You're a heartbreaker."

Mari shook her head. "Not usually. Generally, the women I take to bed are well aware of what I can and cannot offer them, and most don't leave unsatisfied."

"And what can you offer me, Mari?" Brelyna asked in a teasing tone.

"A good time, some stress relief, and a world of pleasure," Mari answered with a smirk.

"You're full of yourself as well," Brelyna chuckled. "What can't you offer me?"

"A future or commitment beyond our time together here at the College."

Brelyna nodded. "Well, let's just get to know each other as peers and see where it goes from there." She sat back down in her chair and gestured toward the empty one opposite it.

Mari sat down and glanced around the room. It was very similar to hers but with a few added personal items.

"Tell me, Mari, what brings you to the College?" Brelyna asked.

"I've been working to become a fully-trained mage, and when I found myself in Skyrim, it seemed to make sense to pick up my studies here," Mari replied. "You?"

"I am a Maryon of House Telvanni," Brelyna answered. "My family history is steeped in magic, and I'm here to study Conjuration. I'm the first in my family to leave Morrowind in many years. What is your area of study?"

"A little bit of everything," Mari replied, "though my expertise lies in the Destruction school."

Brelyna nodded.

"My family also has a history of magic. My mother came from a long line of Psijiic monks," Mari confessed, and she was surprised when she heard herself divulging that secret.

"The Thalmor must not have thought much of that," Brelyna commented, her red eyes widened in surprise.

Mari shook her head. "They did not."

"There's one of them here, you know," Brelyna stated.

"I know," she replied. "I was less than thrilled with that discovery." Then, changing the subject, she asked, "Why leave Morrowind?"

"I wished to be able to focus on my studies without hearing about the reputation I had to live up to and all that was expected of me," Brelyna replied. "You? Why come to Skyrim?"

"That's one of those things I like to keep to myself," Mari replied, "no matter how up close and personal we may get."

Brelyna chuckled. "Perhaps in time I'll earn the right to hear that story," she decided. "What do you think of Winterhold?"

"There's not much to think anything about."

Brelyna nodded in agreement. "Before the Oblivion crisis, many Dunmer called Winterhold their home. More and more were traveling from Morrowind to study here at the College and would remain in Winterhold after their studies. After, the Nords' growing distrust for magic made it difficult. Many left rather than endure the new hatred directed at them from the locals. Others returned home following the Red Year when Vvardenfell erupted. Winterhold itself died in the years between then and now. What's left is only a husk, and the College. That was spared."

"I'm told that led to more distrust," Mari stated.

Brelyna nodded. "Skyrim isn't the most friendly of places to practice magicka, but this college is renowned throughout Tamriel. Those brave mage apprentices who are willing to endure the locals and the climate are rewarded with the best of educations."

Mari smiled. Though the College of Winterhold hadn't been in her original life plan, she was beginning to become thankful that she found herself there, despite the hardships and losses that had brought her down that path. "Tell me about our fellow students."

"You're certainly the most outgoing," Brelyna replied with a teasing smirk. "Most of the others keep to themselves, but some, students and professors alike, have approached me with questions about my family and my opinions on the history of the area." She rolled her red eyes. "I've avoided most conversations since. I wish to focus on my studies and avoid distractions."

Mari returned her smirk. "I suppose you think I'll be a distraction."

"That's yet to be seen," the Dunmer answered. "Anyway, there are two others beginning at our level of study. Onmund is a Nord, and I suspect he's the most novice of us all. Giving our upbringing and previous training thanks to who we are and where we came from, we're starting out leagues ahead of him. He's a somber fellow. Seems to be quite homesick, but I detect there's some tension between him and his family because of his pursuit of these studies. Then there's J'zargo. He's a Khajiit and quite full of himself. He makes it no secret that he's out to be the best and seems quite confident in his abilities to achieve that. I suspect his desire to learn isn't without nefarious reasons."

Mari chuckled.

"The elder students keep to themselves," Brelyna continued. "They have a more independent line of studying and work one-on-one with the professors rather than in small groups like we will be at first. I've only been to one of Tolfdir's lectures. You haven't missed much. Just a brief recap of the college's history and how it's run. We're supposed to start on actual magic tomorrow."

"Well, I suppose I'll let you return to your reading," Mari decided. She was tired after her traveling and knew it would be an early morning.

"It was lovely to meet you, Mari," Brelyna offered.

Mari threw a wink in her direction. "Oh, Brelyna, the pleasure was all mine."

* * *

Tolfdir was an elderly Nord, much to Mari's surprise. Due to the ignorance and general mistrust of the mage arts she had seen in the majority of Nord's, the fact that one of the college's senior professors was one of them came as a bit of a shock. All in all, he seemed to be a knowledgeable and kind man, and Mari looked forward to learning from him.

Their first lecture was on safety and the importance of mitigating damages. He went on for some time about the possible ramifications of using magic and how to take necessary precautions and make sure that safeguards were in place. Mari felt that everything he was saying was true. One of the reasons that magic had such a bad reputation was because of people using it irresponsibly and not caring about the consequences, but the other students disagreed. They wanted to see actual magicka in action and learn spells, and while Tolfgir was growing frustrated with their constant begging, Mari did agree that he had talked at much longer lengths than was probably necessary for the topic.

Eventually, Tolfgir taught them a simple ward spell before sending them on their way. Mari and Brelyna both already knew the spell, so he'd had them assist him in a demonstration of it. The others, Onmund and J'zargo, were instructed to learn the spell and practice it, and he complimented the two elvish women on their skill and taught them a more difficult ward to practice.

The days continued like this. Tolfgir's first lessons were all about wards - the lesser ward he had initially taught as well as the steadfast ward he had taught Mari and Brelyna and, finally, the greater ward spell. Mari and Brelyna were quick to master all of these spells, but it took the men a bit longer. They obviously has less experience, and J'zargo's overconfidence led to additional difficulties in his mastery. Mari saw the use of wards in protecting oneself and was pleased to have learned a new one, but she was eager to move on to other spells.

They now had a few days off from studying and would be taking a field trip to the ruins of Saarthal next.

Saarthal was the first Nord settlement in Skyrim. It was attacked by elves on what had come to be called The Night of Tears, and very few survived. To this day, no one was certain if the elves were attacking because they wanted the Nords gone or if there was greater reason. Many believed the ancient Nords had unearthed something very powerful beneath their city that the elves wanted as their own. Until now, the ruin had remained mostly unexplored, but the College had recently begun excavating the sight in search of artifacts.

Tolfdir related the importance of any discovery they were able to make in the ruins, whether magical of nature or not, because preserving and unearthing history was the College's priority. Mari suspected that wasn't entirely true and that the rumors of something powerful within Saarthal had a bit to do with it. She also noticed how intrigued J'zargo seemed to be by this entire trip and decided to keep an eye on him to ensure he didn't pocket anything important in his hunt for treasure.

During this time, Aerenwen and her fellow Companions Circle members visited Winterhold briefly. Mari met them at the inn as soon as she found out they were there. She'd been studying with Brelyna when one of the sentries from the bridge approached to tell her that "Aerenwen would be at the inn until noon", and she quickly rushed out with barely a goodbye.

They'd visited briefly and shared drinks. Though it wasn't as long of a visit as Mari would have liked, she knew Aerenwen was a busy woman with all her responsibilities, even more so now that she had apparently inherited the role of Harbinger of the Companions upon Kodlak's death. She was immensely proud of her elder sister for receiving such an honor but also extremely worried to hear that she would be infiltrating the Thalmor embassy in search of information on the dragons.

Mari had insisted the others visit Elain, who had shared that she had done a great deal of spying around the embassy during her time visiting in Solitude, and made Aerenwen promise she would write and let her know as soon as she was safely back in Whiterun. This reminded Mari of the letters she had penned to Runil and Zaria but had yet to send. Couriers didn't pass through Winterhold often, so she handed the letters off to her sister along with few coins , and the older woman promised to hire a currier to bring them to Falkreath as soon as she returned to Whiterun.

When she returned to the room where she and Brelyna had been studying, the Dunmer glanced at her in curiosity.

"Is Aerenwen a past conquest?" she asked.

"My sister actually," Mari replied. "She's the Harbinger of the Companions and the Dragonborn and was just passing through town."

Brelyna tilted her head, obviously being as unfamiliar with those terms as Mari had once been, but Onmund had been sitting nearby and overheard.

"Your sister is the Dragonborn?" he asked in awe.

Mari nodded with pride. "She's killed two dragons since arriving in Skyrim and survived the attack on Helgen."

This obviously impressed the Nord. "And you said she's the Companions' Harbinger?"

"Yes," Mari replied. "That's a new development. The previous Harbinger was only just laid to rest."

"I hadn't heard that Kodlak Whitemane had died," Onmund stated with a frown. "He was a good man from what I've heard, but with a Dragonborn in charge, I'd imagine the Companions are headed for further glory."

Mari grinned. She rather enjoyed bragging about her sister.

"What is this Dragonborn?" Brelyna asked.


	11. Saarthal

Chapter Four: Saarthal (Fridas, 24th of Frostfall)

Mari had made the long walk from the College to the ruins of Saarthal alongside Brelyna with Onmund and J'zargo trailing behind them. The entrance to the ruins was located deep within the snow, and a large, crater-like area had been dug out. Wooden ramps led down to the ancient, bronze doorway, and Mari suddenly realized why the ruins had not been plundered before and what made this excavation such a large undertaking. Because the snow in Winterhold never fully melted, the ancient ruin - the most ancient of all Nordic ruins in Skyrim - was located beneath hundreds of feet of accumulated snow.

The students arrived before the professor, but he had instructed they meet him outside the entrance, so they waited, huddled together to fight the cold temperature and biting winds.

"J'zargo has been told many an elf lady has found warmth in the furry arms of the Khajiit," the catlike man informed the women with a feline grin.

Mari rolled her eyes, suspecting there wasn't a lot of truth to that. The elves, at least as far as the Altmer went, saw beastfolk as even more below them than the races of men. Though there were Khajiit in her homeland, the rare romantic coupling between one of them and an Altmer was looked upon with shame. The Altmer lost all respect.

"Sorry, J'zargo," she responded with a grin of her own. "I only play with the ladies."

The cat chuckled at that. "Such a shame." He cast a glance at Brelyna to see what her response would be, but the harsh, red-eyed glare he was receiving seemed to speak for itself.

Mari took the fact that she hadn't received that glare when she'd propositioned the Dunmer as a good sign.

Tolfdir soon arrived. "Good. You're all here," he commented. "Saarthal is an important site for exploring the life of the ancient Nords when they first arrived in Skyrim. As practitioners of magic, it is important for us to study the various applications of magic throughout history." He opened the large, heavy door, and the students followed him inside.

The interior of the ruins was dimly lit by torches, and Tolfgir summoned a guiding light into his palm to aid them on their travels through narrow tunnels and precarious walkways. Mari summoned one as well, leading to Onmund and J'zargo both looking at her with surprise and, if she was right, a bit of respect. Brelyna smirked at her, no doubt coming to the conclusion that her previous studies far exceeded what she had led everyone else to believe.

"As some of you may know, Saarthal was the earliest Nord settlement in Skyrim," Tolfdir lectured as he led his students deeper within the ruin. "It is also the largest of any of the ancient Nordic ruins in the province, at least of those we are aware of. Sacked by the elves in the infamous Night of Tears, not much is known about what happened to Saarthal. This is an exciting opportunity for us to be able to study such an early civilization and the magics they used. We're particularly interested in the prevalence of magical seals placed on the tombs here. It's rather unlike anything we've encountered."

Eventually, the group reached the bottom of several newly-built ramps and spiral, stone causeways that were part of the original construction. Tolfgir gave them a brief lecture on safety and warned them not to touch anything or go wandering off without one of the researchers giving prior permission. Then he stepped away for a few moments to discuss something with a short, Breton man covered in dust.

"There's no chance anyone in authority in Skyrim approved this," Onmund stated with a frown when the students were alone. "This is a burial site. Our ancestors should be allowed to rest in peace."

"Do you think there's treasure here?" J'zargo wondered aloud to anyone who might be listening. "Something to make J'zargo a powerful wizard?"

Mari and Brelyna exchanged an unamused glance and ignored the Khajiit.

"I think it's better for the ruin to be explored this way," Mari said, addressing Onmund's concerns. "I doubt many of the burial sites in Skyrim are undisturbed like this one. Most have been raided by bandits and thieves like him," she nodded toward their Khajiiti classmate. "I think a group of researchers and educated scholars can conduct an expedition like this with great respect, and the discoveries made will be used for the greater good and the preservation of your ancestors' histories."

Onmund was still scowling, but he seemed to relent a bit at this. "I suppose it's better than the alternative, but Saarthal was buried beneath centuries of snow. It should've just stayed that way."

Brelyna tugged at Mari's arm and led her away from the angry Nord. "I think it's a soft spot for him since he feels like he's betraying his family's legacy by studying magic," she whispered. "To him, digging through this oversized tomb probably feels like even more of a betrayal, especially since it's being done by the very mages his family distrusts."

Mari nodded because that made sense. "Probably doesn't help that he's doing it alongside the descendants of those who killed those ancestors."

"Saarthal was sacked by the Snow elves," Brelyna argued. "They are not ancestors to either of us."

Mari shrugged. "You know that. I know that. Any mer would know that, but you know that to men, all elves are the same."

Tolfgir approached the group again and began handing out assignments, dividing the group up.

"Onmund, please search that area over there." The elderly man waved toward an area beyond where they stood. "See if you notice any . . . residual energies. Alive or undead."

Mari could hear the Nord muttering as he wandered off. "I wonder if everyone else would be so happy to rifle through the bones of their ancestors." Apparently, he failed to stop and think about the fact that their professor was also a Nord, and, therefore, these were his ancestors as well.

"J'zargo, what shall we have you do?" Tolfgir seemed at a loss, and Mari wondered if he, perhaps, had some concerns about letting the Khajiit out of his site within the ruin. "Ah, why don't you verify that we are, indeed, the first ones here? Look for any amount of tampering with any of the tombs."

The Khajiit happily wandered off, but Mari caught his frown when Tolfgir warned him not to open any of the tombs.

"Brelyna, my dear, I'd like you to search for warding magics," the professor instructed. "Anything designed to keep people out. Don't interact with them, just identify them."

"Mariwen, why don't you see if you can assist Arniel Gane?" he finally stated with a friendly smile toward his Altmer student. "He's one of our scholars and is here working on cataloging our finds. I expect he'd appreciate some help in locating any additional magical artifacts here in this area of the ruins. Any enchanted items will do; the usefulness of the enchantment is irrelevant. If you find anything, the class can look it over."

Mari nodded and wandered off in the direction the old man had pointed, finally finding the man she recognized as Arniel Gane deeper within the ruins. He was a bald Breton of middle age, and she remembered that he was one of the professors who specialized in Alteration magic.

"Excuse me, sir," she stated, garnering his attention. "Tolfgir sent me to find you and assist in your work."

"That's fine," Arniel replied, giving the elf a cursory glance. "Just don't make a mess of my work. I've only looked through a portion of this section. You, uh, you can look around in the chambers just north of here. Do be careful. We don't want to damage anything."

Mari nodded and followed his directions. Within the dust and debris, she found three rings that were obviously enchanted based upon the energies she could feel from them. Anyone who practiced magicka and had studied it the way that Mari had could recognize an enchanted object by the energy produced by it, and, sometimes, there was even a barely noticeable magical light glowing from it. She also found a strange amulet, obviously extremely ancient. It was suspended, somehow, against the wall, and when Mari removed it, a metal gate crashed down on the entrance to the chamber she was in.

Try as she might, Mari couldn't get the gate to budge nor could she find a release for it. She was trapped.

It wasn't long before Arniel and Tolfgir realized her dilemma and began attempting to free her. She grew frustrated when she realized they were more fascinated with what could have set the trap off than her actual freedom, and she placed the amulet around her neck to free her hands in an attempt to shimmy the gate, knowing it was too bulky to be carried with the rings she had found in her small satchel.

Once around her neck, the amulet began to glow, and Tolfgir was intrigued.

"I wonder what enchantment is on the amulet and what its affect on your spells may be," he mused.

Mari rolled her eyes but decided to humor the old man, firing off a few balls of flame toward the opposite wall. Much to her surprise, the wall collapsed, revealing a hidden passage, and the gate rose, allowing the professors to join her in the chamber.

"Well, this is highly unusual," the old Nord commented, gazing into the chamber that had been revealed. "I wonder why this was sealed off. What is this place?" He looked around a bit and then turned to Mari with a smile. "Excellent discovery, Mariwen. Please join me as we take a look at this newly revealed chamber. Arniel, I leave the rest of my students in your capable hands."

The other scholar nodded, and Mari followed Tolfgir deeper into the ruins.

While Tolfgir was looking around the newly revealed burial chamber, the world around Mari seemed to freeze, and a ghostly apparition appeared in front of her.

"Hello, Mariwen," the apparition stated. His voice seemed to echo, and he appeared to be an Altmer wearing mage robes. The entire apparition of the man glowed with a blueish tint and was almost translucent, and Mari recognized it as the method Psijics used to communicate over great distances. It was a technique her own mother had used, and while she had yet to learn it for herself, it hadn't been unusual for her mother to converse with her in this manner in years past.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I am called Nerien, and you must listen well," the apparition stated. "Know that you have set in motion a chain of events that cannot be stopped. Judgement has not been passed as you had no way of knowing. Judgement will be passed on your actions to come and how you deal with the dangers ahead of you. This warning is passed to you because the Psijic Order believes in you, Mariwen. You, young mage, and you alone have the potential to prevent disaster. Take great care and know that the Order is watching."

Mari's golden eyes grew wider and wider as the man spoke. Yes, her family came from a long line of Psijic monks. Her own uncle had joined their order, but she'd never been in the presence of one. Now she had gained their attention. What, on Nirn, had she released when revealing this chamber?

Nerien's apparition vanished, and the world around Mari awoke once again. Tolfgir approached her with a curious look.

"Did you see that?" she asked the old man.

He frowned. "I didn't see anything, though I did feel something rather strange."

"An apparition appeared," Mari explained. "A Psijic monk. He warned of danger ahead and a series of events we have unleashed by revealing this chamber."

Tolfgir's frown deepened. "The Psijic Order? Are you quite sure about that?"

Mari nodded.

"That's very odd," he commented. "And danger ahead? Why, that doesn't make any sense at all. The Psijics have no connection to these ruins, and no one's seen any of their order in a long time."

"Their order is very present," Mari informed him. "My own uncle joined them a few decades ago though I have no idea why they are contacting me or exactly what it is about Saarthal that has garnered their attention."

"I have no idea either, but it's fascinating. Assuming it's true, of course," Tolfgir stated with a suspicious look. "The Isle of Artaeum disappeared over a hundred years ago, and no one has seen them since, to my knowledge. Yet now, suddenly, they have chosen to contact you? Why, it's intriguing! If nothing else, I'd take it as a compliment. The Psijics have only ever dealt with those they feel are worthy."

A feeling of dread filled Mari as Tolfdir returned to his explorations, declaring they should investigate the coffins themselves. Everything about this was wrong. There was something evil in Saarthal, and the fact that the man in charge didn't seem to be heeding the Psijic's warning, made Mari extremely uneasy.

From the coffins came draugr, grotesque undead who guarded ancient Nordic tombs. Mari had never encountered any before then, but she'd heard of them from Aerenwen and Elain's tales of adventures since arriving in Skyrim, and she'd read of them in her own research. With Tolfdir's help, they were able to take down their foes with destruction spells and continued to do so as they delved further into the ruins and more and more draugr appeared.

One especially large chamber with a pool in the center caught the aged wizard's interest.

"I don't recognize these etchings and wish to study them further," he informed Mari. "You seem more than capable of defending yourself. Why don't you continue on, and I'll catch up to you when I finish looking around here?"

Mari nodded, though it was the last thing she wanted to do. More burial chambers and more draugr stood in her path, and it seemed to take ages for Mari to traverse the depths of the ruin. By the time she entered a large cavern, she was exhausted, and she took a moment to lean against the wall, allowing her energy to replenish.

"Ah, there you are," Tolfdir commented as he appeared in the entrance to the cavern. He seemed to care little for sneaking or for the fact that his loud voice echoed off the cavern's walls, no doubt alerting anyone - or anything - within the area of their presence. The two slowly approached the center of the cavern.

"Well, would you look at that?" Tolfdir commented.

A giant orb was suspended in the center of the lower portion of the chamber, surrounded by an otherwordly glow.

"I never imagined we'd find something like this," he continued, gazing at the orb in fascination. "Why is this buried so far within Saarthal?"

He began descending the set of stone stairs that led to the lower portion of the chamber when a sound echoed through the cavern. Mari glanced around, alarmed, only to spot a helmeted draugr rising from a throne facing the orb, and they immediately began to battle it. Despite endless rounds of firing off every destruction spell they knew, the draugr didn't even weaken.

"Its drawing energy from the orb!" Tolfdir finally decided. "Keep him distracted while I attempt to disrupt the connection."

Mari nodded and swallowed thickly, firing off flames and sparks from each hand to draw the draugr's attention away from the old man. Tolfdir stood beside the orb, shooting off some sort of spell at the light surrounding it. Finally, it seemed to work, and the draugr was weakened, slowly losing energy and falling to his knees. Mari knocked the draugr back with a rush of sparks, and after what seemed like forever, the ancient man was finally, completely dead.

Curious as to who this man who had been buried in the depths of Saarthal was, Mari approached his tomb. She found an aged piece of parchment within the tomb and read it.

"Be bound here, Jyrik, murderer, betrayer, condemned by your crimes against realm and lord. May your name and your deeds be forgotten forever, and the charm which you bear be sealed by our ward."

Along with the parchment, Mari found a broken piece of an amulet and an enchanted staff. She pocketed the amulet and the parchment, deciding she would further research who this Jyrik had been, curious as to what his crimes were, and she leaned on the staff as she approached Tolfdir who was walking in circles around the orb, studying it. The energy barrier around the orb had dropped upon Jyrik's defeat, and it could now be seen in all its glory - a sphere of metal, possibly, with odd etchings and a strange blueish-green light within it. It was unlike anything Mari had ever seen.

"Do you know what it is?" she asked the old man.

"I have no idea!" Tolfdir replied, sounding full of excitement rather than the dread that filled Mari. "This is amazing! Absolutely amazing. The Arch-Mage needs to be informed immediately. He needs to see this for himself." He turned toward Mari, finally pulling his eyes away from the orb. "I don't dare leave this unattended. Can you return to the College and inform Savos Aren of this discovery?"

Mari nodded.

"Please hurry."

* * *

It was quite late by the time Mari found her way back out of Saarthal. It seemed her fellow students and the other scholars had left, leaving her to make the journey back to the College through the dark on her own. It wasn't without difficulty, but thankfully, the only foes she ran into were a few lone wolves. Ice wolves were difficult adversaries, but they didn't take well to flames, and most ran off in fear before Mari had even hit them with her spells.

When she finally reached the College, she was absolutely exhausted - physically, mentally, and magically. She wanted nothing more than to return to her quarters and collapse into her bed, but she needed to meet with the Arch-Mage as per Tolfdir's request. She dropped the things she had found at Jyrik's tomb off in her quarters and headed toward the Hall of Elements.

Mari was surprised when knocking on the door of the Arch-Mage's quarters resulted in a command to enter rather quickly. She assumed the man would be asleep, and she'd have to cause a ruckus to get his attention.

She found the Arch-Mage sitting in the large, rounded room that made up his quarters. A hallway lined with enclosed bookshelves led to the room which had a large garden of various plants possessing magical properties in the center of it. An orb of light, much like the guiding light spell Mari knew, floated above the garden, providing it with the necessary light to thrive despite being inside. The edge of the room comprised various areas which were hidden by privacy walls and columns. The Arch-Mage sat at a chair near the entrance, an opened book in his hands.

Savos Aren was a Dunmer. He wore a specialized set of mage robes, adorned with decorative fringe and embroidery, and he glanced at Mari in surprise.

"You're one of Tolfgir's students," he commented after a moment. "Please don't tell me that another one of the apprentices has been incinerated. I have enough to deal with right now."

"No, sir," Mari replied. "Tolfdir told me to report to you to tell you that we found something in Saarthal, some sort of . . . orb. He feels it's important and wants you to see it."

The Arch-Mage simply nodded, not seeming to be extremely surprised nor alarmed by the information. "We haven't had the opportunity to meet yet," he stated with a friendly smile. "I am Savos Aren, Arch-Mage, and you are Mariwen, yes?"

Mari nodded. "I'm pleased to meet you, sir."

"The pleasure is mine, Mariwen," he replied. "We're pleased to have you here amongst us. What you learn here will last you a lifetime. Several, if you're talented." He smirked. "I am quite content to see nearly any aspect of magic explored and investigated here, but I do not and will not approve of any research or experiments that cause purposeful harm to your fellow members of the College. Are we clear?"

"Of course, sir," Mari replied.

He nodded at her with a smile.

"Is dangerous research a problem?" she wondered.

"Not often, no," he replied. "Some risks must be taken in our line of research, to be sure. I am simply trying to avoid untimely deaths. We also must make an effort to avoid worsening what Skyrim thinks of us. It's no secret that the College's reputation in Skyrim is . . . tainted. We must practice caution and avoid angering the locals. They don't need additional reasons to hate us."

He stood and wandered over to a display case nearby. "Allow me to present you with this staff. It's enchanted with a magelight. Think of it as a welcome gift to the College and a thank you for any help you provided Tolfgir at Saarthal. Perhaps it will come in handy should you need to explore any more Nordic ruins."

Mari smiled and accepted the staff with words of thanks.

"I will check in with Tolfgir," the Arch-Mage stated. "In the morning, I would like you to check in with Urag gro-Shub for any leads he may have regarding Saarthal and whatever it is you found there. Urag is the caretaker of our Arcanaeum, our library. The grandest and most extensive library in Skyrim. He's rather protective of the books and is a font of information in his own right. Now, get some rest."


	12. A Discovery

Chapter Five: A Discovery (Loredas, 25th of Frostfall)

Mari made her way across the courtyard and smiled when she saw Faralda approaching her. The Altmer woman nodded and glanced around then grabbed Mari's arm and pulled her behind the statue.

"Ancano is looking for you," she whispered urgently.

"Who?" Mari asked.

"The Thalmor agent poking his nose around College business," she replied. "He wants to know what was discovered in Saarthal. Mind what you tell him, alright?"

Mari nodded. "What's his story? Why is he here?"

"Between the two of us, there are rumors about him," Faralda replied. "That this 'advisor to the Arch-Mage' position he has is a sham, an excuse. That what he's really doing is spying for the Thalmor, trying to feed them information. Whether it's true, I can't say, but all the same, we tell him as little as possible."

Again, Mari nodded. She didn't know Ancano and hadn't had any interaction with him, but she was inclined to agree with the rumors. There was no way the Thalmor would send one of their mages to work in an advisory capacity just to attempt to develop a relationship with the College. He may be working under the guise of that, but she had no doubt he was feeding his superiors information on the happenings at the College as well. If that orb that had been discovered had been what was of interest to the ancient elves and led them to attack Saarthal, Mari felt it would be of just as much interest to the Thalmor.

She continued toward the Hall of Elements and entered, finding her way to the second floor where the Arcanaeum was located. As she made her way toward the center of the large library, she marveled that she'd never seen so many books. Many of the bookcases were locked, protecting the books, but she had no doubt they were all full.

"You there!" she heard echo through the hall.

She turned and saw Ancano approaching her with a frown on his face, and she stopped and crossed her arms, attempting to look both confident and disinterested.

"I have questions for you," he stated as he stood in front of her. "You were in Saarthal, yes? It has come to my attention that something was found there."

"Maybe . . " Mari answered with a shrug. She knew it probably wasn't the best answer. She should've been honest but discreet, yet there was a large part of her that wished to annoy the Thalmor official.

His frown deepened, and he looked absolutely livid. "I know full well that something was. Please do not insult my intelligence. Tolfdir is still there now, isn't he?"

Mari shrugged. He'd been there last night, but she'd been asleep for hours. She had no idea where the professor was now.

Ancano let out a disgusted sigh. "I shall expect a full report when he returns."

"If Tolfdir hasn't returned from Saarthal yet, how do you even know about what may or may not have been discovered there?" Mari asked.

"It is my job to know these things," he replied condescendingly. "My role as advisor to the Arch-Mage is aided by knowing everything that transpires here."

You mean your role as spy for the Thalmor, Mari thought to herself.

"Why do you even care about this particular thing?" Mari asked aloud. "Saarthal is just an old ruin."

"Something was discovered in that old ruin," Ancano replied. "Something significant enough that Tolfdir sent a new member of the College, alone, to deliver word. That sounds precisely like the sort of thing that should matter to everyone. Especially me." He narrowed his eyes and studied Mari for a moment. "You may go now."

Mari rolled her eyes, making certain the older Altmer could still see her face as she did so, then made her way toward the center of the library to where an aged Orc sat behind a counter. Mari had encountered very few orcs in her life, and the few she had met were during her journey through Cyrodiil toward Skyrim. To think of one of the fierce warriors working as the caretaker to a library was a bit of an oddity, and she found herself very intrigued by this man.

"You're a new face," he commented in a very deep, gruff voice.

Mari smiled and leaned against his counter. "I'm Mariwen," she stated.

"Urag," he responded. "You are now in the Arcanaeum, of which I am in charge. It might as well be my own little plane of Oblivion. Disrupt my Arcanaeum, and I will have you torn apart by angry Atronachs. Now, do you require assistance?"

Mari grinned, deciding she liked the surly orc, and nodded. "The Arch-Mage sent me to see if you had any books on Saarthal and something that was discovered there."

Urag nodded and stood from his chair, resting his palms on the counter. "I know what you want. Word travels fast around here. Discovered some big mystery, I hear. Well, no, I don't have anything for you. Not anymore anyway."

"Not anymore?" Mari asked.

Urag shook his head. "Orthorn stole a number of books when he ran off to Fellglow Keep to join those Summoners. Took the books to be some sort of peace offering, I'm told. I think one of the volumes may have had some relevant information. If you want them, you'll have to talk to Orthorn."

"Who is Orthorn?" Mari asked.

"He was an Apprentice here at the College," the orc replied. "Not very skilled, but he got involved with a group of mages who took a liking to him. When they left, he took off after them. Stole supplies and books from the College, I suppose as a way to ingratiate himself."

"Why did they leave the college?" Mari wondered.

"Let's just call it a difference of opinion with the College," Urag answered. "They were interested in research that goes outside the bounds of what the College allows, so they were . . persuaded to leave."

Necromancy. It had to be.

"And you guys weren't concerned with the fact that this Orthorn stole from you?" Mari asked.

Urag shrugged. "Not enough to bother with it. Arch-Mage Aren's approach to these things is to just let them sort themselves out. Although now, if you want that book, it looks like you'll be doing the sorting. Good luck with that. Anything else you need?"

"Um, yes, actually," Mari replied. "I found an amulet and a writ of sealing within one of the tombs of a warrior of some sort called Jyrik. I'm curious about it and was wondering if it rang any bells in regards to some books that may tell me more about this Jyrik and what his crimes were."

Urag read over the parchment that Mari passed him and thought a moment and then wandered over to a bookshelf. He retrieved a leather bound book and returned to the counter, passing the book to Mari. _Lost Legends_ was scrolled onto the cover. "You're digging into the Forbidden Legend," Urag told her, "or the Legend of Gauldur. There's a bit about it in this, but not much to be frank. I'm not entirely certain it's related to this Jyrik as most of the tale is lost to us, but after reading that writ of sealing, Gauldur and his sons were the first thing to come to mind. Give it some reading and research. Maybe you'll find your answers there. If I think of anything else, I'll let you know."

Mari nodded and tucked the book under her arm, returning to her quarters to read. She needed to get herself a map if she had to travel to this Fellglow Keep to find the book that was stolen. After all, the Psijics had basically told her she was the only thing standing in the way of certain disaster, and how could she prevent disaster if she didn't know what she was dealing with? If there was a chance the book that Urag had mentioned would provide some incite, she needed to get it back.

She had just sat down in the chair in her room and opened up _Lost Legends_ when Brelyna appeared in the doorway.

"I was worried when you weren't here this morning," the Dunmer confessed.

"I returned from Saarthal late last night," Mari replied, "but left as soon as I woke up to get some information from the Arcanaeum."

Brelyna nodded and sat down on the edge of the Altmer's bed. "The whole college is buzzing with the news that you and Tolfgir found something. What is it?"

Mari sighed. "Honestly, Bre, I have no idea. But I think it could be bad."

 **Author's Note: That is the end of this portion of Mari's story. Nesta will be next, the first chapter of part three of her story being posted tonight or tomorrow morning.**


	13. Fellglow Keep

**Author's Note: If you've read Aerenwen's story, some of this will be a repeat, but I recommend reading it anyway. It's been a while since it was posted there, so it will be a good refresher into where we're at with Mari's story, and I have added a few things from her point of view that weren't in that story.**

Part IV: Sun's Dusk

Chapter One: Fellglow Keep (Morndas/Tirdas, Third/Fourth of Sun's Dusk)

Life at the college had changed drastically since the discovery of the orb, which was now being referred to as the Eye of Magnus. Lessons were put on hold for the time being as the entire faculty of the college spent the majority of their time within Saarthal, studying the orb and its surroundings. The more the discovery seemed to overshadow the usual college business, the more Mari grew to fear the warning of the Psijic and whatever was still yet to pass.

"Where are you going?" Brelyna asked as she leaned against the doorframe of Mari's quarters, watching her pack her bag.

"Whiterun," Mari replied. "The Arch-Mage tasked me with researching the discovery, and Urag seemed to think a book that had been stolen would possibly have some information. It was stolen by a group of mages who are holed up in Fellglow Keep, just west of Whiterun."

"You're going to take on a group of rogue mages by yourself?" the Dunmer replied, clearly appalled by the idea.

Mari smirked and shook her head. Was Brelyna growing attached and worrying after her well-being already? "Hopefully not," she replied. "I'm not that crazy. I'm going to look up my sister. I'm hoping she has time to accompany me on this errand."

Brelyna relaxed a bit at this news. "Your sister that's the Dragonborn?"

The Altmer nodded in response.

"Good luck and safe journeys," her new friend commented as she pushed away from the door and turned to leave.

"Perhaps when I return, we can work on getting a bit more up close and personal," Mariwen suggested with a smirk.

Brelyna rolled her eyes but looked more amused than annoyed, so Mari chuckled as she slung her bag over her shoulder, bracing herself to go back out into the cold. At least Whiterun would be warmer.

* * *

Upon arriving in the city amidst the plains, Mari found Lydia outside of her sister's home and was directed toward Jorrvaskr where Aerenwen was apparently dealing with some Companions' business. Once there, she was further directed by Farkas downstairs to the living quarters where she found her older sister sitting at a desk and combing through paperwork with an extremely annoyed expression on her face.

"Well, would you look at that?" she teased, garnering the other woman's attention. "The Harbinger of the Companions putting down her sword in favor of notebooks."

Aerenwen chuckled dryly. "Not by choice, I assure you," she replied as she stood to greet her sister. "I'm afraid this Harbinger business is a lot more public relations and bookkeeping than actual fighting."

"Thank goodness you're the Dragonborn then," Mari continued to tease with a twinkle in her eyes. "I'd hate to think of you growing bored."

Aerenwen chuckled and motioned for her sister to join her at the small table in the corner. "What brings you to Whiterun?" she asked.

"College business," Mari replied. "Business I was hoping I could get some assistance with."

"What's going on?" Aerenwen asked.

Mari accepted the glass of wine her sister poured her and helped herself to the fruit and cheese laid out on a plate upon the table.

"You remember how I told you we were exploring Saarthal?" she asked.

Aerenwen nodded.

"We discovered something there," Mari continued. "It's like nothing I've ever seen before, Ren, and I can tell it's extremely powerful, even though we have no idea what exactly it is. They've taken to calling it the Eye of Magnus at the College. I suspect it may be what caused the elves to attack the Nords on the Night of Tears. I think the Nords found it, either in their excavations for the city or somewhere else, and the snow elves learned that they had."

Aerenwen nodded. "Sounds plausible. Perhaps they wanted the power for themselves."

"Either that or they had hidden it there and didn't think anyone should have it," Mari answered.

"You don't think its discovery is a good thing, then?"

Mari shook her head. "Just before I found it, a Psijiic monk appeared to me in a vision like the ones our mother used to use," she told her. "He said a lot . . . basically that this discovery wasn't good, and we had no idea what we were unleashing on the world. He said that my actions that had led me to the discovery would not be judged because I hadn't known what I was doing, but from here on out, how I handled things would be watched closely. He implied that they felt I could prevent a great catastrophe."

Aerenwen sighed. "Why is it that the fate of the world seems to always rest on our family's shoulders since we arrived in Skyrim?"

Mari giggled, despite the seriousness of the statement. "You know that Nesta would say it's because we're just so amazing."

The truth in the statement caused Aerenwen to chuckle. "So what do you need my help with?" she asked.

"Well, the Archmage has had me researching what exactly this Eye may be while he and the professors observe the actual artifact," Mari explained. "I haven't found a damn thing and apparently that's because the books that would be helpful were stolen from our library several years ago."

"By whom?"

"Apparently there was a group of mages who left the College after being told they couldn't practice necromancy," Mari replied. "Another mage left after to join them and stole the books to offer them, I guess as a way to buy his way into the group."

"And now you're tasked with getting the books back, I assume," Aerenwen stated.

Mari nodded. "Last anyone knew, this group of mages were holed up in Fellglow Keep. I'm told it's near here."

Aerenwen stood and approached her desk again, studying the map that was laid out on top of it. After a moment, she pointed to a marked location on the map not too far away in the east.

"Will you help me?" Mari asked.

"Of course I will," Aerenwen replied. "We can leave at first light tomorrow. I gave Lydia the night off since I had planned to be at home, and Aela is out of town with Vilkas on a job until tomorrow."

"Thank you," Mari stated, wrapping her arm around her older and taller sister. "What's for dinner?"

* * *

Elain had arrived in Whiterun in the wee hours of the morning, and as soon as she had discovered what Aerenwen and Mari were up to, she insisted upon joining them.

The trio left Whiterun after breakfast.

Fellglow Keep was mostly in ruin, several toppled towers littering the hillside. It wasn't long after their arrival that their presence had been detected by a flame atronach who immediately attacked, along with two mages who stood guard outside.

Mari was able to defeat the atronach while Elain took care of one of the mages with a long-distance arrow, and Aerenwen dodged fire spells from the other before finally landing her sword in his gut.

After some searching, the three sisters found the entrance to the dungeons of the keep down a set of stairs burrowed into the ground. The dungeons themselves were slightly flooded with rancid-smelling water. After navigating the subterranean tunnels, they entered a room where a mage stood amongst a group of smaller-sized frostbite spiders.

"Ah! Test subjects!" the mage exclaimed gleefully. "Attack, my pets!"

It took some time, and a few close calls, but the sisters were successful in defeating the spiders and the mage. They navigated the tunnels deeper into the structure until they found themselves in a room containing cells that housed emaciated vampires with two mages patrolling.

"You two handle the mages," Elain stated in a whisper. "I'll deal with the vampires."

The other two nodded and made quick work of the two novice mages. Elain then approached the locked cells, gaining the attention of the hungry vampires.

"You're hungry," Elain stated. "You've been held here against your will. We are not with them. We will let you free if you promise to sate your hunger on those who have imprisoned you and spare the three of us."

The vampires exchanged glances between them before nodding at Elain who pulled four levers located in the center of the room. The cell doors opened, and the four vampires rushed into the adjoining area. Screams and the sounds of fighting ensued, and by the time the sisters had entered the next space, three mages lay dead amongst tables and torture equipment containing the corpses of vampires. Those they had freed continued deeper into the dungeons.

"They were experimenting on them," Aerenwen stated with a shudder.

As they followed the next tunnel, finding two more mages laid waste by the vampires they had freed, the sound of howling could be heard.

The next test subjects were wolves, and Elain released the three beasts. They seemed to realise that the three sisters were not the enemy and ignored them in favor of taking off in the direction the vampires had assumedly gone, deeper into the keep.

A fourth prison cell housed a mage, a fellow Altmer, and he knelt down as he clutched the bars on the door. "Please! Please release me!" he cried out. "Help me! They're going to do something awful to me!"

"Who are you?" Mari asked, approaching his cell.

"I am Orthorn," he replied. "There's a lever there," he pointed toward the edge of his cell. "Please let me out before they come back!"

"You're Orthorn?" Mari confirmed. This was the mage who had stolen the books.

"Yes! Yes, did Arch-Mage Aren send you?" the imprisoned mage asked.

"He sent me, but not for you," Mari replied. "I'm here for the books you stole."

Orthorn's eyes widened. "Oh . . . oh, I see," he said, sounding completely defeated. "I shouldn't have taken them, I know. It was stupid. I was stupid, and it won't happen again. Let me out of here, and I'll help you find them."

Mari glanced at Aerenwen, unsure as to whether or not releasing the mage would be a help or a hindrance to their efforts, and her sister shrugged. "This is your mission," she told her. "I'm just your sword."

Mari smirked and shook her head, unused to her older, take-charge sister allowing her to make calls like this, but Skyrim had sent them all on their own paths, and this one was Mari's to make the decisions on. She decided to let Orthorn out, hoping that, perhaps with his help, they could locate the books faster in the large fortress. Besides, she didn't condone the experimentation and torture she had thus far witnessed, and her conscience wouldn't allow her to leave the man imprisoned. She pulled the level, and the mage rushed out, catching Mari off-guard with a grateful hug.

"Where are the books?" she asked as she shrugged the relieved mage off her.

"I don't have them anymore," Orthorn replied sheepishly. "She took them . . . The Caller. She's the one who put me in this cell. I promise I will help you get them back, and then I will go back to the College and beg them to take me back. I'll make amends."

Mari rolled her eyes. "That's between you and the Arch-Mage," she replied. "I'm just here for the books."

Orthorn nodded. "I'll help you get them," he stated again. "The Caller will have them. She was most interested in one of the novels, though not interested enough to keep me from being locked up."

"Fine," Mari stated, narrowing her eyes at the mage. "You can show us where they are. Just don't get in the way."

Orthorn nodded eagerly. "I shall do my best. I owe the College for my transgressions."

The group of now four Altmer made their way deeper into the structure. Most of the mages they encountered had already been dealt with by the vampires and wolves, but a few had managed to evade them. Aerenwen and Elain were quick to dispatch of them, and Mari even took a few out with her flame spells.

Eventually, they came to a door atop a spiraling set of stone steps.

"This is the Ritual Chamber," Orthorn whispered. "The Caller will be in there."

"Who is this Caller?" Aerenwen asked.

"Their leader," Orthorn answered.

They entered the room on alert, and a robed Altmer mage stood in the center amongst several lit candles.

"So you're the ones who barged into my home and laid waste to my projects," the woman stated when they stood before her. "How nice to meet you."

"Who are you?" Mari asked.

"Names no longer matter," the woman replied. "You may refer to me as The Caller. Now, do you have a reason for making such a mess?"

"I was sent by the College to retrieve the stolen books you have in your possession," Mari answered.

"So you're just one of Aren's lackeys?" The Caller asked with disgust. "How disappointing. You show real promise. You come here, kill my assistants, disrupt my work . . . You've annoyed me. I don't think I'll be giving you anything."

"Let me leave with the books, and there won't be anymore trouble," Mari offered.

The Caller sighed and studied the three women a moment. "Fine. Take them and be gone. I have little use for them anymore anyway," she gestured toward several pedestals around the room housing books. "Never return here or else you'll face my full wrath."

Mari nodded and slowly made her way around the room, retrieving the books and feeling relieved that they were able to do so without anymore trouble. As she lifted the final book from its pedestal, she heard a noise behind her and turned to see The Caller lying in the center of the room in a pool of blood with one of Elain's glass arrows protruding from her lifeless body. She glanced at her sister in surprise.

"Oh please," Elain muttered with an eye roll. "It's fine and well that you were able to get your books, but were we really going to leave her alive? I don't know what in Aedra's name she's up to, but it isn't good, that much is clear."

Aerenwen chuckled and shook her head, and Mari nodded her agreement. Elain had a point. Orthorn seemed shocked and continuously glanced at the dark haired Altmer out of fear as they made their way back above ground.

Back in the fresh air, Orthorn bid his saviors goodbye. "Well, everything worked out nicely, didn't it?" At Mari's look of hesitant agreement, he continued. "You'll be going back to the College then?" She nodded. "I, uhh . . . I think, perhaps, I'll wait a bit before venturing there myself. Let his whole thing blow over, you know. Give certain parties a chance to forget what I may have done. Still, you've gotten me out of that cage, and I won't forget it. Thank you again and good luck to you." With that, the Altmer man took off running down the hillside.

"Will the College let him back in?" Aerenwen asked.

"It's doubtful," Mari replied with a shrug. He'd stolen from them and proved he had no loyalty to the college. No matter what change of heart he claimed to have had, she doubted they were quick to hand out second chances.

"So what are these books we risked our lives for?" Elain wanted to know.

Mari pulled each of the books out of her satchel and read their titles as she did so. " _Night of Tears_ , _The Last King of the Ayleids_ , and _Fragment: On Artaeum_."

" _Night of Tears_ sounds promising, considering what you're dealing with and the history of Saarthal," Aerenwen commented as they made their way down the hillside in the direction of Whiterun.

"I can only hope," Mari replied. "I have a very bad feeling about all this."

 **Author's Note: So this is the start of the fourth part of Mari's story. Chapters will be added in the coming weeks, hopefully on a weekly basis. If you haven't read the fourth part of Aerenwen's story, it's now completed and can be found on my profile.**


	14. Research

Chapter Two: Research (Sundas the 9th, Morndas the 10th, Tirdas the 11th of Sun's Dusk)

Mari was extremely frustrated. She'd spent hours combing over the books she had rescued from Fellglow Keep and hadn't found anything terribly informative. One book was about the fall of the Ayleids and their descendants. Another was about the Isle of Artaeum where the Psijic Order made their home. The third was about the so-called Night of Tears when the elves ransacked Saarthal, but it only hypothesized that there was more to the attack than simply wanting the Nords out of Skyrim. The author felt the Nords had unearthed something beneath their city that the elves wanted for themselves. Clearly there had been something buried beneath Saarthal, but this book didn't give her any further information on it, nor did she understand what the correlation between the three books Orthorn had stolen could possibly be.

After watching her sister's frustration, Aerenwen had suggested she seek out Glenys.

"I know Markarth is on the opposite side of Skyrim as Winterhold, but she may have some insight or further information," her sister had stated. "If this is somehow tied to the Ayleids or Artaeum, she knows more of those two topics than anyone else we have access to, and if not, she may know more of Saarthal itself."

Mari had seen the wisdom in her sister's thinking, and so that was how she found herself, several days later after an extremely long journey, standing atop a set of stone steps in an ancient Dwemer city, dripping wet as heavy rain poured around her.

A tall Nord with long, sleak hair answered the door, and Mari smiled at him. "Vorstag?"

"Yes?" he asked curiously.

"I'm Mari," she stated. "Is my sister home?"

* * *

Mari sat back in her chair and took a sip of her wine, watching as her sister closed the final book she had brought with her.

"I had read both of these before," Glenys informed her with a gesture toward the books on Artaeum and the Ayleids, "but after telling me what you had found beneath Saarthal, I decided I should reread. It was years ago that I read them. Back when I first began studying under Calmir."

Mari nodded but didn't speak. She could tell by her sister's expression that she was preparing to begin a scholarly lesson of some sort.

"As you know, all mer are distant cousins," Glenys began. "We all descended from the ancient race of Aldmer who claimed to have been descended from the Aedra themselves."

Mari nodded. She did know this, but she would admit that unless it was directly involved with magicka, she hadn't paid attention to or retained the majority of her history lessons.

"They left the ancient continent of Aldmeris, sailing across the seas," the brown-haired elf continued. "Some took to the seas permenantly, making the islands off the southern coast of Tamriel their home. They became known as the Maomer, or sea elves. Others settled in the Summerset Isles to the west. Those are our ancestors and eventually became known as the Altmer.

"Through the ages, others would leave their new home. The first to do so were the Altmer who established the Psijic Order, settling on their own island, Artaeum, because they disagreed with the new religion and chose to remain true to the old ways. Others left and expanded across Tamriel. These would evolve into the races of Bosmer, Chimer, Dwemer, Falmer, Ayleid, and Dunmer. Others mixed with the races of men and would become the race now known as Breton.

"The Falmer, or snow elves, dwelled in Skyrim," she explained. "They are rarely referred to as Falmer now. That name is reserved for the twisted race their descendants became, but it was this race of mer that ransacked Saarthal. The Nords had come from the continent of Atmora, to the North, in search of a new home as theirs was failing somehow. Some sort of climate change or natural disaster, I gather. Saarthal was the first city they established, and most historians agree that the snow elves attacked with the desire to wipe out the Nords in order to keep Skyrim for themselves.

"A few disagree, and I am inclined to favor their opinion," Glenys stated. "The snow elves already shared Skyrim with the Dwemer, who dwelled underground, and while conflict between men and mer is by no means uncommon, I see no reason for the elves to have reacted so strongly to the Nords arrival when the province is so large, and they had no established settlements in the direct area of Saarthal, from all accounts. Not to mention that the Nords had already dwelt there for some time and delved quite deep before the elves chose to act against them. If it was simply the settlement they were against, they no doubt would have acted sooner when there were fewer defenses in place.

"Those that disagree with the original theory believe that the Nords unearthed a very powerful artifact beneath Saarthal" Glenys stated. "Scholars disagree then on whether or not the purpose of the attack was to claim the artifact for themselves or prevent the Nords from accessing it. I tend to lean toward the former, especially since it was obviously still there. If they had wiped out the Nords and wanted it for themselves, they no doubt would have reclaimed it and relocated it. Instead, it remained buried beneath the ruins of Saarthal.

"I once read an Imperial report on Saarthal written by an archaeologist under the Empire's command to delve into the more shallow areas of the ruins to study the lives of the ancient Nords who reestablished a temporary settlement there upon returning to Skyrim after the Night of Tears. The author of the report felt that the snow elves' attack had been too precise, by his findings, to have simply been set to exterminate the Nords. He felt they had a clear destination and purpose in mind. I think it is possible they sought to clear out the area around this artifact, and that it was them, rather than the ancient Nords, who sealed that area of Saarthal that you uncovered.

"The Ayleids, as you know, are my area of expertise," she continued after taking a sip of her wine. "They are known by the races of men as the Heartland High Elves, and they inhabited Cyrodiil. I won't go into their story completely, as it's unnecessary here, but I do feel that these three books are connected and that it wasn't simply the one from Saarthal that you were after. There was a reason it was these three books the mages stole.

"The Ayleids, like the Psijiics, would be the most similar to the Aldmer due to the fact that they died out so long ago. Those of us who have remained have continued to evolve into more distinct cultures, and our similarities to the old ways are few, even if our own race likes to claim they are the most pure in terms of ancestry.

"Therefore, it can be surmised that the type of magicka used by the Ayleids, whose culture would have been contemporary with Saarthal, would have been much more in line with Psijics beliefs than that of more modern mer, as would the snow elves'. The stones and artifacts within Ayleid ruins are like nothing seen today, and I surmise that this artifact is something from those ancient elves. It is highly possible, in my opinion, that this artifact was developed by those ancient elves, possibly even stolen by the snow elves from the Ayleids, or perhaps created by themselves somehow, and that upon realizing how powerful and dangerous it was, they buried it beneath the snow in hopes it was never unearthed.

"Then, generations later, along came the Nords who, unknowingly, discovered it again, and when the elves realized they had found it, attacked in order to avoid it being brought back out into the open and used. It's possible, I suppose, that this artifact predated even them, and that it was something the Psijics, and even other mer races, were aware of even before the events of Saarthal. Something the Aldmer had created or possessed, a relic of the old world or the creation of Mundus.

"Regardless of that, you're dealing with something very powerful and very ancient," Glenys concluded.

Mari sighed. It wasn't exactly new information, nor did it give her a lot to tell her superiors at the College, and it didn't exactly give her the warm fuzzies either. "This damn thing should have stayed buried," she commented.

Glenys nodded her agreement. "What are you going to tell them?"

"I don't know," Mari answered honestly. "I suppose I'll just give them all the theories. I gather the only ones who know more definitively what this thing is would be the Psijics, and they're not exactly fans of sharing information."

Glenys chuckled. "They're watching you," she commented after a few moments of silence. "They have put their trust in you. Mother would be proud."

Mari smiled sadly. "I wish she were here," she sighed. "She may have been of some help with this."

Glenys reached forward and took hold of her sister's hand, giving it an affectionate squeeze. "Tread carefully, Mariwen. Our ancestors were in tune with magicka and elements that we wouldn't even begin to comprehend. There is no telling what this thing is capable of, and whatever you do, do everything in your power to make sure that Thalmor agent at the College does not take it. If the Thalmor get ahold of it . . ." she trailed off with a frown.

No, Mari agreed silently. That would not be a good thing at all.


	15. The Eye of Magnus

Chapter Three: The Eye of Magnus (Tirdas, 18th of Sun's Dusk)

It was early evening as Mari made her way through the snow-covered streets of Winterhold, her fur-lined cloak wrapped tightly around her. She was exhausted after the events at Fellglow Keep and literally traveling from one end of Skyrim to the other. She was pleased that her errand had gotten her to visit Glenys but also wasn't certain the extra time in the trip had been all that beneficial. Though now she did understand that all three books were about cultures that were involved in a more ancient form of magic and saw their connection now.

All in all, she'd been gone from the College for two weeks. Between the civil war, bandits, and dragon attacks, it was often difficult to find a carriage willing to take travelers, and she'd been stuck in Markarth waiting for the only driver brave enough to bring folks through the Forsworn-infested lands to return to the city. The delay had allowed her to reunite with Nesta, who had visited the city briefly on some sort of business, and now she'd seen all her sisters and felt at peace knowing they were doing well. She hoped after the situation with the Eye was resolved, if it ever was, she could make a trip to Solitude to visit her brother before winter fell over Skyrim.

She crossed the narrow causeway to the College and made her way through the courtyard. As soon as she stepped into the Hall of Elements, her heart sunk. There, floating in the center of the great room used for lectures, was the Eye of Magnus. In her absence, they'd removed it from Saarthal and brought it back to the College, and, apparently, rather recently, based upon the curious and eager onlookers who stood outside of the closed gates to the room, staring in as Tolfdir and Mirabelle stood near the orb.

Mari sighed and headed to the Arcanaeum where she unceremoniously dropped the books down onto the counter in front of Urag. The old orc actually cracked a smile and made a dry joke about being surprised she made it back alive. He handed her some duplicate copies of books for her own collection as a thank you and began leafing through _The Night of Tears_. Mari probably could have recited the entire tome for him at this point, but he didn't seem interested in conversation, so she made her way back out of the library.

Tolfdir, who was now alone in the hall, spotted her as she emerged and called her into the room where he was gazing up at the orb in the same amazement he had when they discovered it beneath Saarthal.

"You've returned," he stated the obvious with a smile. "Does Urag have any information about our wonderful discovery thanks to your errand?"

"I found a certain book," Mari replied. " _The Night of Tears_ . . "

He interrupted her. "Is that the one about something buried beneath Saarthal? Something that men and mer fought over?" he asked. At Mari's answering nod, he continued. "I'll have to make a point of re-reading it. I don't recall the details. I just can't seem to tear myself away." His gaze returned to the floating orb. "Whatever this is, its beauty is like nothing I've ever seen before. If you allow me to indulge myself for a moment, I thought I might make a few observations."

Mari followed Tolfdir as he circled the orb. Though he lectured on things he'd noticed about it and theories he had, Mari had very little interest in what he had to say and found herself, once more, thinking about the Psijic's warning. This thing, whatever it was, seemed to be drawing everyone's attention to an obsessive degree. She wondered if she was the only one left at the College who was wary of it.

"I'm sure you've already noticed the markings," the old man was saying when Mari pulled herself from her thoughts again. "They're quite unlike anything we've seen before. Ayleid, Dwemer, Daedric . . not even Falmer. None of them are a match. Quite curious indeed.

"Now, I'm not quite sure that you're as attuned as I am, given my extensive years of experience, but can you feel that?" he asked in what Mari took as a rather condescending tone. In truth, with her slower aging thanks to her elven race, the difference in their ages wasn't nearly as drastic as he assumed. "This marvelous object! It practically radiates magicka! Yet it's unlike anything I've felt before. Arch-Mage Aren is already hard at work, and hopefully we'll have more information soon. Now, I . . ."

They were interrupted as the Thalmor agent entered the hall.

"You, Mariwen," he stated authoritatively. "I need you to come with me immediately."

Mari swallowed thickly. Fuck. Was this how it ended? Had he figured out who she was?

Tolfdir sputtered about the inappropriateness of interrupting a lesson, but he eventually dismissed his student, and Mari had no choice but to follow the older Altmer.

"What's going on?" she asked, hoping her nerves were well disguised.

"I should ask you the same question," Ancano spat, turning toward Mari with a glare.

"I don't understand."

"Really?" he asked sarcastically. "Well, allow me to clarify the situation. I'd like to know why there is someone claiming to be from the Psijic Order here in the College. More importantly, I'd like to know why he's asking for you specifically, so we're going to go have a little chat with him and find out exactly what it is he wants."

Mari hoped her reaction of surprise was taken for what it was - shock that an actual Psijic monk had traveled to the College to seek her out. "Why are you so concerned about this?" she asked, regaining a bit of her confidence. While this certainly cast unneeded attention upon her in the Thalmor's eyes, at least it wasn't about her history or the fact that she was wanted by the Dominion for treason.

"I'll be the one asking the questions," Ancano snarled as he led her up the stairs to the Arch-Mage's quarters. "All you need to know is that the Psijic Order is a rogue organization, believing themselves to be above the law. They have clashed with the Aldmeri Dominion before, and I have no intention of allowing that to happen here. Of course, you should already be aware of that, given that, judging by your accent, we share the same homeland."

Mari decided not to comment on that and turned the conversation back to him. "Aren't you just an advisor here?" she asked, and she was well aware that her tone sounded like a petulant teenager.

"Technically, that is true," Ancano answered, "but I still report to the Aldmeri Dominion, and I cannot ignore this situation. Don't worry. You can return to your petty squabbles and meaningless 'research' as soon as this matter is resolved."

Mari fluctuated between wanting to punch the elder in his face to wipe the haughty expression off it and fearing that knowledge of a Psijic monk contacting a Mariwen at the College would allow the Thalmor to connect the dots to her true identity.

Ancano paused with his hand on the nob of the Arch-Mage's door. He turned toward Mari and cast her another scowl. "Now, you are going to speak to this . . . monk," he said the word like it tasted bad on his tongue, "and you are going to find out why he is here. Then he will be removed from College grounds."

Mari met his gaze and raised a single eyebrow. This man was the typical Thalmor agent, completely full of himself. If Arch-Mage Aren wanted the Psijic to stay, she was sure he would be whether Ancano approved or not. She chose not to reply, however, and followed him through the doorway.

Standing beside the garden in the center of the room was the Arch-Mage as well as an Altmer dressed in the same robes the apparition had worn, though now, in person rather than through magical means, she could see him without the bluish tinge that resulted from that form of communication. The robes were of a golden hue with burgundy and silver trim. The details were intricate. This was a different mage than the one who had appeared to her in the tomb, though she felt there was something familiar about him.

As she stepped closer, Ancano began to speak, but suddenly, much like in the tomb that day, everyone froze around Mari, save herself and the Psijic.

"Please do not be alarmed," he stated in a soothing, and slightly familiar, voice. "I mean you no harm."

"What's going on?" Mari asked, glancing in surprise at the way the Arch-Mage and Ancano were as still as statues. Even the light that flickered out from the orb floating above the garden seemed frozen. She'd been too surprised in the tomb to study her frozen surroundings, and she fought the urge to go poke Ancano, to see if she could knock him over or dirty his spotless robe.

"I've given us a chance to speak privately," the mage replied, "but I'm afraid I can't do this for long. We must be brief. Tell me, Mariwen, do you know who I am?"

Mari shook her head, her attention once more focused on the Psijic.

"I am Quaranir, your mother's brother."

Mari's eyes widened. This was her uncle. The uncle she had heard so much about from her mother through the years but had not been in the presence of aside from once, briefly, when she was a small child. Was he the reason the Order was trusting her?

"You've grown into a remarkable young woman," he complimented with a soft smile. "I see quite a lot of my sister in you. If you allow yourself to combine your mother's teachings with those you have learned both here and in Firsthold, you will find you are a much more powerful mage than even the most tenured professor at this institution."

Mari simply blinked, not really sure how to respond to that.

"Within our family lies a great ancestral magic, Mariwen. Trust yourself and your abilities," her uncle continued. "Now, I'm afraid I don't have any more time for pleasantries. The situation here at your College is of dire importance and attempts to contact you as we did previously have failed. I believe it is due to the very source of our concern - this object, the Eye of Magnus as your people have taken to calling it. The energy coming from it has prevented us from reaching you with the visions you have already seen. The longer it remains here, the more dangerous the situation becomes, and so I have come here personally to tell you it must be dealt with."

"Can't you help?" Mari asked, wondering why this powerful Order she'd already heard so much about didn't just take the situation into their own hands.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, Mariwen," Quaranir answered with a saddened expression.

"What does this have to do with me?" she questioned. "I mean, why is it me that you're depending upon to stop this?"

"In part because you were the one who set this chain of events in motion at Saarthal," he replied, "but also because of who you are. Because of our family's history and your mother's teachings, you would be more open to listening to us than others here, and because we know, based upon your lineage, just what you can be capable of, Mariwen. You are fated to be one of us someday if you so choose."

Again, Mari's golden eyes widened in surprise, not really sure how to respond. Her? A Psijic monk?

"You must understand, Mariwen," Quaranir stated after a moment, "the Psijic Order does not typically intervene directly in events. My presence here will be seen as an affront to some within the Order who will claim I have only done this because you are my family. As soon as we have finished, I will be leaving your College. I'm all too aware that my arrival has aroused suspicion, especially in Ancano, the Thalmor associate. I apologize for any further complications my presence here brings you, and I'm sure you feel it would be easier if we just handled this situation ourselves. Nevertheless, my Order will not act directly. We cannot at this time. You must take it upon yourself to do so."

Mari sighed. "So what exactly is the problem? I mean, obviously this is a bad thing, that's been made clear. But why? What's going to happen?"

Quaranir frowned. "As you may have learned, this object . . . The Eye . . . is immensely powerful. This world is not ready for it. If it remains here, it will be misused. Indeed, many in my Order believe it has been already, or rather, something will happen soon, something that cannot be avoided."

"What do you expect from me, then? Stop whatever is going to happen?" Mari asked.

"We believe that your efforts should be directed towards dealing with the aftermath of this event, but we cannot predict what that will be," her uncle replied.

"I'll help," Mari stated. "Of course I'll help, but I don't know what to do, Uncle."

Quaranir smiled softly and placed a comforting hand on the shorter Altmer's shoulder. "Unfortunately, Mariwen, the future is as obscured to us as it is to you right now. The overwhelming power of The Eye makes it difficult for us to see." He paused and stepped back. "I fear I have already overstepped the bounds of my Order, but I will offer this: seek out the Augur of Dunlain in your College. His perception may be more coherent than ours at this time."

"Who is that?" Mari wondered.

"He was once a student here at the College," he answered. "Now he is . . . something different."

"Where can I find him?" Mari wanted to know.

"I am unsure," Quaranir answered with a frown. "He is somewhere within the College. Surely one of your colleagues must know his location. I am sorry I cannot provide you with further help, but this conversation requires a great deal of effort on my part. Now, I am afraid I must leave you. We will continue to watch over you and guide you as best we can. It is within you to succeed, Mariwen. Never forget that."

With that, the room around them awoke again, and Quaranir apologized for wasting the Arch-Mage's time.

"I'm afraid there's been a mistake," he lied. "She is not who I was looking for."

Arch-Mage Aren then led the monk out of the room, and Ancano turned toward Mari with a suspicious expression.

"I'm not sure what just happened, but I assure you I will get to the bottom of it," he stated.

"Get to the bottom of what?" Mari asked innocently.

"Whatever it is those Psijics are up to," he answered. "They cannot be trusted. For all we know, he's here to scout out the College. I'm sure they want to undermine our efforts."

"What efforts could they possibly be undermining?" Mari wondered.

"This!" Ancano exclaimed exasperatedly. "This . . . orb! The Eye of Magnus, whatever you want to call it. It's clearly powerful, and no doubt they want it for themselves! I expect to be informed if they make any future attempts to contact you."

"Of course," Mari lied.

Ancano turned to storm from the room in his usual manner.

"Hey, have you ever heard of the Augur of Dunlain?" she asked, deciding she may as well start with him in her search. After all, he was so certain of his superiority, he would never believe a conversation had taken place right in front of him that he wasn't aware of.

"The what?" he asked, feigning confusion. It was clear to Mari that he knew exactly what she was referring to. "No. No, I'm quite sure I have no idea what you're talking about. I suggest you mind your own business and return to whatever it is you do here."

He disappeared through the door, and Mari was left alone with her thoughts. What had she gotten herself into?


	16. The Augur

Chapter Four: The Augur (Tirdas/Middas, the 18th/19th of Sun's Dusk)

Figuring out just who and where this Augur of Dunlain was had not been easy. None of her fellow students had heard of him, and the majority of the professors either acted dumb or made it clear that she had no business looking for him. Finally, she decided to approach Tolfdir. Though extremely intelligent, he was rather absent-minded, and she'd often heard the old man discussing things with students he had forgotten weren't supposed to be discussed.

She found him, once again, in the main hall studying the orb. "Excuse me, Tolfdir," she stated as she approached him. "Could I ask you a question?"

"Of course, child," he responded with a smile as he turned his attention toward her. "It's always encouraging to see the younger generations embracing education."

Mari returned his smile. "I was just wondering, sir, have you ever heard of the Augur of Dunlain?"

"Well now, there's a name I haven't heard in some time," the old man commented with a thoughtful expression. "My goodness, it's been years since I've spoken with him. I suppose he's still down in the Midden, but I haven't checked. Are you going to see him? Do tell him 'hello' for me, won't you?"

Finally, some information. "Where is the Midden?" she asked.

"Underneath the College," Tolfdir replied. "It's not the nicest of places, so if you go down there, do be careful, dear."

Mari nodded. "Alright, I will. Could you tell me more about him?"

Tolfdir nodded slightly. "I suppose he wouldn't mind. It was all before my time, you understand. I've heard the stories, the same as anyone else. He was a brilliant student, an accomplished wizard. A Breton from High Rock. Delved into magic in a way none had seen before, but I think he became too focused on just how much power he could acquire. That's what led to the accident."

Mari wanted to know more about this accident, but the appearance of some of the other mages, those who had made it clear they were not going to tell her who the Augur was, ended the conversation there. She found out from Urag how to access the Midden, and after dark, she wandered toward the trap door located in the stone walkway in the far west of the courtyard.

The Midden was . . . well, it was unpleasant. It was like a poorly kept basement, or perhaps, even a sewer. She walked quietly, using a guiding light spell to illuminate her path, and fought off a few frostbite spiders and an ice wraith, whose teeth she was quick to collect knowing they were a rare alchemical ingredient.

Mari continued through tunnels and caverns until she reached a heavy wooden door that was locked, but as she pulled on it, a deep, echoing voice filled the area around her.

"Your perseverance will only lead you to disappointment," it said. "Still you persist? Very well. You may enter."

The door ahead of her opened, and Mari entered a room. There, floating over what looked to be an old well, was a large, glowing orb. It was bluish in color and radiated with a strong, magical energy.

"You're the Augur of Dunlain?" This wasn't exactly what Mari had expected, and what was this accident, anyway? How had a student turned into this . . . this thing. This ball of energy.

"I am that which you are seeking," the voice, the orb she supposed, replied. "Your efforts are in vain. It has already begun, but those who have sent you have not told you what they seek. What you seek."

"I was told to find you," Mari answered. Was he implying that the Psijics were hiding something? That they knew more than they let on?

"Indeed," the Augur replied, "and so you have come looking, though you do not know why. Like others before you, you blindly follow a path to your own destruction. The Thalmor came seeking answers as well, unaware they will be his undoing. Your path now follows his, though you will arrive too late."

So Ancano was to be behind whatever bad thing the Psijics thought was coming? Why didn't that surprise her? "And what is it that I'm seeking?" Mari asked, wishing the thing would stop speaking in riddles.

"You seek that which all who wield magic seek," he answered. "Knowledge. You shall find this - knowledge will corrupt. It will destroy. It will consume. You seek meaning and shelter in knowledge. You will not find it. The Thalmor sought the same thing, and it shall lead to his end as it has so many others."

"The Thalmor?" Mari asked, wanting to confirm that it was Ancano who the Augur was talking about.

"Yes, the one who calls himself Ancano," it . . . or he replied. "He seeks information about the Eye, but what he will find shall be quite different. His path will cross yours in time, but first, you must find that which you need."

"Ancano came to see you?"

"Yes. He, too, sought my knowledge through very different questions. Your path differs from most. You are being guided, pushed towards something. It is a good path, one untraveled by many. It is a path that can save your College. I will tell you what you need to follow it further."

"What is it that I need?" Mari asked.

"You, and those aiding you, wish to know more about the Eye of Magnus," the Augur replied. "You wish to avoid the disaster of which you are not yet aware. To see through Magnus' Eye without being blinded, you require his staff. Events now spiral quickly towards the inevitable center, so you must act with haste. Take this knowledge to your Arch-Mage."

Mari nodded and muttered a quick thank you before leaving the room. The Staff of Magnus? She hoped the Arch-Mage knew where to find that.

* * *

Mari found Arch-Mage Aren in the entry of the Hall of Elements. It looked like he was just leaving the area where the Eye was located, and she stopped him before he could get back to his quarters. It was quite late, well after midnight, and they were alone.

"I have important information for you," she told him.

The Dunmer tilted his head slightly. "Really? And what might that be?" he asked.

"We need to find the Staff of Magnus," she replied.

The Arch-Mage frowned. "I'm sorry, what? Well . . . I'd certainly love to have such a powerful staff here at the College, but I'm not really sure that any of us need it."

"It's connected to the orb we found, the Eye," Mari explained.

"And how do you know this?" He was clearly skeptical.

"I spoke with the Augur of Dunlain."

His frown deepened. "And he specifically mentioned the Staff of Magnus?" At Mari's answering nod, he sighed. "I suppose I am impressed with your initiative. Of course, someone will need to follow up on this." He cast her a glance that let Mari know it would be her doing the following up.

"What should I do next then?" she asked. She had no desire to go on more errands to look for some staff nor did she have any idea of where to look. She'd never even heard of the Staff of Magnus.

"A most impressive attitude. Keep this up, Mariwen, and you'll do quite well for yourself," the Arch-Mage complimented. "Something as specific and ancient as the Staff of Magnus . . " he paused and seemed lost in thought for a moment. "I'm not sure we'd ever find something like that, but I seem to recall Mirabelle mentioned the staff somewhat recently. Why don't you see if she can tell you anything more?"

Mari nodded and turned to leave.

"I'm quite pleased with your progress, you know," the Dunmer called after her. "You've certainly proven yourself to be more than just a mere Apprentice. Well done, Mariwen."

"Thank you, sir," she replied with a small smile.

* * *

"You're back!" Brelyna was awake when Mari entered the dormitory and followed the Altmer into her room. "And you're exhausted," she commented as she watched the other elf drop her bag on the floor and collapse onto her bed, mage's robes and all.

"I feel like I haven't stopped in weeks," she muttered.

"Tell me all about it."

Mari chuckled. "Well, I went to Whiterun, as I said I was and got the help of my sister. Another one of my sisters was visiting her as well, so the three of us traveled to Fellglow Keep, freed Orthorn and retrieved the books. I couldn't make much sense out of them, and another sister is a scholar, so I traveled to Markarth to pick her brain."

Brelyna's red eyes widened. "How many sisters do you have?"

Mari grinned. "Four. Anyway, Glenys made sense of the texts for me but didn't have a lot more initial information. I returned shortly after dinnertime, and it's been one thing after another since."

"You can rest now," Brelyna offered.

"Yes, but first thing in the morning, I need to track down Mirabelle to ask her about the Staff of Magnus," she replied.

"What on Mundus for?"

"Apparently it's important. What is it?"

"Well, you know who Magnus is, yes?" Brelyna wondered.

Mari nodded. "He is et'Ada," she replied, referring to the Original Spirits. "The god of magic."

"His staff is an ancient artifact," Brelyna explained. "It is said to have been the only object that could contain the power of Magnus. I don't know if that is true, of course, but regardless, it's an extremely powerful staff of legend. It is tied to this Eye?"

"It's sounding that way," Mari replied.

"They named it rather aptly then, didn't they?" Brelyna mused. "Was there really a Psijic monk here looking for you?"

Mari shrugged. "It was a mistake. I wasn't who he was looking for."

Brelyna studied her new friend for a moment. "I don't believe that's true, but I'm going to allow it for now and assume it's something you're not ready to share."

The Altmer's responding grin was interrupted by a yawn.

"Get some sleep, Mari," Brelyna offered, smiling softly as she stood from the chair and left the room.

* * *

Mari found Mirabelle Ervine as she was walking in the courtyard the next morning and approached her.

"Good morning, Mariwen," the Breton stated with a friendly smile.

"Good morning," she replied. "I was wondering, do you know anything about the Staff of Magnus?"

"Well now, that's an odd question," the older woman commented with a curious expression. "Why in Aetherius would you be asking?"

"Arch-Mage Aren said you'd mentioned recently," Mari replied. "I spoke with the Augur of Dunlain and was told that we need it."

The head wizard's eyes widened at that information. "I see." She continued walking toward the Hall of Elements, motioning for Mari to join her. "Yes, I suppose I did mention it, though I'm not sure what he expects me to tell you. I only brought it to his attention a couple of months ago when the Synod showed up here looking for it. They were apparently under the assumption we were keeping it in a closet somewhere."

Mari chuckled at that. "Who are the Synod?"

"Mages based out of Cyrodiil," she replied. "I'm not surprised you'd never heard of them in the Dominion, but they fancy themselves the Imperial Authority on magic these last few hundred years. My understanding is that all they really do is make noise in an attempt to curry favor from the Emperor. Lots of politics, little magic." She paused in front of the grand doorway of the Hall of the Elements. "I was quite surprised to find them on our doorstep. They seemed amiable enough, but their line of questioning made me uneasy. It became clear they're trying to hoard powerful artifacts, looking to consolidate power."

"So no one knows the staff's location?" Mari questioned.

"No one here does," Mirabelle confirmed. "The Synod seemed convinced it was somewhere in Skyrim. They inquired about the ruins of Mzulft, but that's all I remember. It sounded as though they were headed there next, though they were very secretive as to why. I suppose if you're intent upon looking for the staff, there's a chance they might still be in Mzulft, though we recently received communication from their council in the Imperial City asking after them, so it seems they haven't check in recently. Mzulft is a dwarven ruin to the south, just off the road between Windhelm and Riften in the eastern mountains. Just don't expect them to be cooperative. They want the staff for themselves."

"What is so special about this staff?" Mari wondered as Mirabelle smiled at the young mage who now held the door open for them. They stepped inside out of the cold. "I don't know much, I'm afraid. It's said to have been made and used by Magnus himself, if you believe those sorts of things. I believe I've heard it said that it's the only thing that could adequately contain his power, but those are the sorts of embellishments wizards of ancient times loved to make."

Mari thanked the woman for the information and headed back toward the dormitory to prepare for another trip. She hoped that Elain was home and intended to stop in Windhelm to seek her aid. She had no desire to explore an ancient Dwemer ruin on her own.


	17. Mzulft

Chapter Five: Mzulft (Fridas/Loredas, the 21st/22nd of Sun's Dusk)

Elain had, indeed, been at home when Mari arrived in Windhelm, much to her younger sister's relief. She agreed to travel with her, as if exploring a Dwemer ruin was just another walk in the park, and Mari spent the evening in the Grey Quarter, drinking and flirting with Voldsea, who she was pleased to find was still in port. Apparently the repairs to her ship had taken longer than planned, and though they were set to sail, their departure had been delayed by a storm earlier that day.

After a night with the sailor that reinvigorated Mari after the stressful weeks she'd been enduring, she and Elain set out south, following the road toward Riften out of the snowy hills around Windhelm and into a warmer climate. The road skirted the edge of the volcanic tundra along the base of the mountain range that separated Skyrim from the province of Morrowind.

They arrived at the entrance of Mzulft around mid-afternoon and knew they were in the right place by the large stone arches of Dwemer origin that surrounded a stairwell climbing up into the mountain. Up and up they went until they reached a building that extended outward from the stone side of a cliff. A bronze door lay there, and they were easily able to push it open.

Inside, a room was filled with steaming pipes, and the clanking of machinery filled the air. Mari's eyes immediately fell on a robed monk leaning against one of the pipes. The front of his robe was covered in blood. She knelt beside the man, an Imperial, and thought him dead at first until gray eyes opened and gazed at her.

"Crystal gone," the man muttered. "Find Paratus in Oculory." It seemed to be a struggle just to get those few, weak words out, and the mage fell back against the pipe. Mari felt for his pulse and found nothing.

"He's dead," she said, turning toward Elain who was standing nearby.

"So we find this Paratus then? Figure out what crystal is gone?" her sister wondered.

"I guess," Mari replied. "I mean, none of that has anything to do with why I'm here, I don't think. But it's a place to start. I'm gathering this man was with the Synod."

Elain nodded and pushed at the door. "Well, search him for a key. We're not getting any further without one. This is locked."

Mari hated to do it. Looting a recently dead man was not something she had any desire to do, but she found a key as well as a journal of some sort. Elain was quick to grab this and thumb through it, not having the level of respect for the dead man's privacy that her sister possessed.

"He was sent here from the Synod with something he referred to as a focusing crystal," Elain stated after a few moments of reading. "It was apparently important for whatever they are doing here, and he was supposed to get to this Oculory, whatever that is, right away."

Mari nodded as she twisted the key in the locked door. It swung open.

"We can assume that whoever, or whatever, killed him also took this crystal and that they're still in there," her sister continued as they passed through the doorway. "Be quiet and be careful."

Again, Mari nodded. She was out of her element and was almost certain that Elain wished she had Aerenwen or Nesta along with her for this venture.

Mzulft was fascinating, as Mari was sure any Dwemer ruin would be. Somehow the machines still worked. Pumps and turbines rotated around them as they traveled, and they were attacked by spider-looking machines and metal spheres from which warriors arose. The deeper they delved, the darker and more rancid the atmosphere became, and they encountered Falmer, the twisted, blind descendants of the snow elves. Elain was incredibly stealthy, and though Mari wasn't as effective at this, she was able to use a spell she knew to muffle any sounds she may make, allowing the sisters to get passed the majority of them without their keen ears picking up the intruders' presence.

A Falmer mage, or whatever it was they called their equivalent, put up quite the fight, but between Elain's arrows and Mari's magic, they were able to take him down. Afterward, Elain bent over his corpse, looting it. Mari looked away. She didn't have the stomach for such things.

"You think this is the crystal that guy lost?" her sister asked, and she glanced over to see a large, unusual crystal in the other woman's hand.

Mari shrugged. "Could be. Better hang onto it just in case."

Elain nodded and tucked it into her satchel, muttering a bit about its weight.

Finally, they reached another locked door, and Mari groaned. It seemed as though they had been traversing the ruins forever, and now they were at a dead end. She banged her head against the door and was just getting ready to apologize to her sister for dragging her along on a seemingly pointless endeavor when a voice rang out from the other side of the door.

"Just a moment, Gavros!" the man's voice called out. "I'll let you in."

The door swung open, and Elain stuck her bow through the opening before the shocked man could slam it shut in their faces.

"Who are you?" he asked in a panic. "Where is Gavros? What are you doing here? What have you done with Gavros?"

"I'm assuming your friend Gavros is the one we found dying near the entrance to this ruin," Elain replied, shoving the door open. The mage backed up with wide eyes.

"It was the Falmer, wasn't it?" he asked, his tone sad. "Curse them! They've ruined everything! If Gavros is gone, there's no hope. He was supposed to return with the crystal, and without that, all our efforts are wasted. If you're here for treasure or wisdom or anything, I'm afraid you've wasted your time as well."

"We're here looking for the Synod," Mari stated.

"And just why would you be doing that?" the man wondered. "Whatever the reason, it doesn't matter now. Gavros is never coming back, and he was supposed to have the crystal. It's all been for nothing, so congratulations, whoever you are, you've found the Synod. Just me, alone, surrounded by angry machines and angrier Falmer." The man leaned against the wall and slid toward the floor with his head in his hands.

Elain and Mari exchanged a glance.

"What's this about a crystal?" Elain asked.

The man didn't remove his hands, and they struggled to hear his muffled words. "It didn't work the first time. I tried to tell Gavros, but he wouldn't listen. Said it wouldn't be too cold. Well, I was right, wasn't I? Focused completely wrong by the time we got here! The cold had warped it! Gavros had to cart it all the way back to Cyrodiil. Left the rest of us here to fend off the damnable Falmer, and I'm the only one left."

"What is it that you're doing here?" Mari asked.

"I am on official business of the Grand Council of the Synod," the man replied, finally looking up at them again and sounding rather haughty. "That's all you need to know. I might as well ask the same of you, running around by yourself in this dangerous place."

"We're looking for the Staff of Magnus," Mari told him. "I'm from the College of Winterhold."

The man let out a dry, self-deprecating chuckle. "Savos wouldn't even grant us an audience when we came to you, but now you come here expecting my help? Even if I wanted to help you, I couldn't. I need the crystal to do anything useful."

"If we find this crystal you're looking for, will you help us?" Elain asked.

"If you can actually find the crystal, of course. I'd certainly be grateful," he replied, "but there's no telling what those beasts have done with it."

Elain smirked slightly and reached into her satchel, pulling out the crystal she had found. "This crystal?"

The man was immediately on his feet with widened eyes. He let out a gleeful laugh and waved the women forward down the corridor. "With the Falmer skulking about, I can't very well do this on my own. Come with me, come with me! I'll explain on the way."

Mari and Elain followed.

"No matter what Gavros said, this was my idea first," the man stated, his voice chipper now, completely different from the defeated man they had just encountered. "The Council is going to know that when I get back. I was the one who thought of using this Oculory. I don't know what the dwarves called it. Something unpronounceable, I'm sure."

They entered a massive room with a high, domed ceiling and began climbing a ramp that circled the outer edge of it.

"From all our research, it seems they were intent on discerning the nature of the divine. This machinery, all of it, was designed to collect starlight and then, I'm not sure really, split it, somehow?"

As they reached a landing on the ramp, a large sphere of several gold beams could be seen in the center of the room. Mari had never seen anything like it.

"It was my idea to replace one of the key elements with our focusing crystal," the man continued. "Months of enchantments went into it. Let's just hope they got it right this time. Magnificent, isn't it? Took an incredible amount of work to get it running again. Now I'm hoping it will all be worth it." He nodded toward Elain. "Place the crystal in the central apparatus, and we can start the process for focusing it."

At Mari's nod of encouragement, Elain stepped forward and placed the crystal on a small platform just below the sphere.

"Glenys should be here for this," she whispered when she returned to her side.

Mari nodded. Glenys would have loved this.

The man had climbed further up the ramp to a higher landing and was looking down over them. "Now the crystal needs to be focused," he called down to them. "It was created so far away, we knew that some adjustments would have to be made. Heating and cooling the crystal will cause it to expand or contract, which will change how the light passes through it. You'll need to use spells to do that. Being from the College," he said with a glance toward Mari, "I assume you know them already."

Mari nodded and fired off a few blasts of fire and ice at the crystal in random successions until something seemed to happen, and the beams of the sphere began to spin.

"Years of work finally going to pay off," the man said gleefully as he returned to the level where they stood and began studying the wall where there was a map of Tamriel drawn. The sphere stopped spinning and a couple spots of light appeared in locations on the map. "What's this? These results . . . they're not at all what they should be. This projection should be lit up like the night sky. Something is creating an incredible amount of interference. Something in Winterhold it looks like. What are you playing at?" he turned toward Mari, eyes narrowed. "Is this some attempt to stall my work?"

"Of course not," Mari stated, glancing nervously at her sister. "I have no idea what this is even supposed to do or what you're hoping to accomplish."

The man advanced upon her, refusing to listen. "What have you done? Are you here to make sure your plan worked, that our efforts have been for nothing? Explain yourself!"

Elain stepped forward and placed herself between the enraged man and her sister. "You'd better calm down."

"Her and her College have ruined years of my work!" he exclaimed. "I've lost colleagues and friends to the Falmer, and you want me to calm down?"

"We have no idea what you're talking about," Elain pressed.

"You show up here, just as our work nears completion, and now I can't get any results from this," he argued. "Do you think me a fool? Do you think I'm too stupid to make the connection? How did you do it?"

"I haven't done anything, I swear," Mari said, peeking over her sister's shoulder.

"It must be something you're doing," the man stated, though he seemed to be calming down and listening to reason. "There's no other explanation. Either you're lying to me, or . . ." He trailed off and turned back to the map.

"Perhaps if you tell us what went wrong, we can help you determine what could have caused it," Mari suggested.

"This should be lit up brighter than the night sky, and it's not," he explained. "If you haven't knowingly interfered, than you have something at your College, don't you? Something immensely powerful. Beyond anything I'd anticipated. What is it?"

"I'm not sure," Mari lied. "I'm simply an Apprentice and was tasked with locating the Staff of Magnus. I don't know a lot of what goes on at the College."

The man seemed to believe her. "I can't explain the details," he stated after a moment. "That would be giving away many secrets the Synod have learned over the years, and I doubt you'd be able to comprehend the details, anyway. Have you ever seen the Orrery in the Imperial City?"

Both Elain and Mari shook their heads.

"It was the inspiration for my idea," he continued. "Instead of projecting the sky, we project all of Tamriel, and then harness the latent energies to overlay the positions of . . . well, what's important is that all of this work was designed to reveal to us sources of great magical power. Purely to help safeguard the Empire, of course." For some reason, Mari wasn't certain she believed that. She recalled what Mirabelle had said a few days before about the Synod attempting to consolidate power. "In the end, only two locations have been revealed to us. One is your College. The other," he pointed toward a spot that appeared to be west of Whiterun but not quite to Solitude, "well, that can only be Labyrinthian."

"So the Staff of Magnus is in Labyrinthian?" Mari asked, trying to focus on her task rather than the alarming fact that the Synod had a way to find the locations of powerful objects and that they now knew there was something at the College.

"Well, yes," the man answered, seemingly surprised by the question. "Probably. I mean, yes. Certainly it is, but that doesn't matter now because I know you're hoarding something even more important at your College. The Council will be informed of this. They will find out what it is you're up to."

Mari glanced nervously at her sister who now stood behind the man. Elain raised a single brow in question and quietly drew her dagger. Mari did not want to give consent to this, but she knew it was necessary. She'd located the Staff, yes, but revealed the College's secrets as well as letting another power hungry group know about their dangerous discovery. She sighed and nodded discreetly before turning away.

The mage didn't even see it coming as Elain reached from behind him and slit his throat. He fell to the ground with a loud thud. "Grab that crystal," she ordered her sister. "If you don't want news of this discovery getting out, we need to make sure this thing doesn't work if more of them come along looking for them."

Mari nodded and pocketed the crystal, following Elain back down the corridor they entered through. They'd only made it halfway to the door when an apparition of a Psijic appeared in front of them.

Elain gasped, and Mari was surprised to realize her sister could see it, too, but hadn't Quaranir made comments about their family's innate powers? Perhaps they were all gifted in a way that had garnered the Psijics' attentions, or was it possible that whatever they did to freeze the rest of their surroundings did not work on their family? So many questions, yet each answer led to more questions.

It was the same mage who had appeared to her in Saarthal, and he cast a small smile at Mari. "You have done well thus far, Mariwen," he stated, "but trying times are ahead. It is imperative that you return to your college at once. You will be called on to take swift action. Rise to the challenge and discover what you are capable of. You are on the right path, and you will prevail."

Just as suddenly as he had appeared, he disappeared.

"By Akatosh, that startled me," Elain admitted with a self-conscious chuckle.

Mari smirked at her. "I've got to learn how they do that."


	18. The Eye Awakens

Chapter Six: The Eye Awakens (Tirdas, the 25th of Sun's Dusk)

Mari immediately headed to the Hall of the Elements as soon as she returned to the College. There she found the Arch-Mage and head wizard standing together, looking distraught, outside of the main hall.

"Sir, I know where to find the Staff of Magnus," Mari informed him as she approached.

"Excellent work, Mariwen," he replied, "I'd suggest we go retrieve it immediately, but right now we have more pressing matters. Ancano has somehow locked himself in the hall. He's up to something, and I intend to put a stop to it. Help us get through this, will you? We're throwing everything we have at it."

Inside the gate a huge ward seemed to surround the Eye as well as Ancano whose hands were held, palms out, toward it. Some sort of magical energy seemed to be transferring between the two.

"It's like a ward, but who's casting it?" Mirabelle wondered as she fired destruction spell after spell toward the magical barrier. "Ancano? The Eye? How is this possible?"

Mari joined the other two in firing destruction spells at the barrier, seemingly with no luck.

"I don't care what it is," the Arch-Mage muttered. "I want it brought down, now!"

Several other mages joined them, all working to bring down the ward. Eventually it fell, but Ancano had not moved from his position.

"Ancano!" Arch-Mage Aren belted out. "I command you, stop this at once!" He began striding toward the Altmer with purpose.

"Don't go near him!" Mirabelle cried out, seeing the same thing Mari had - the energy bouncing between Ancano and the Eye seemed to grow more erratic the closer the Dunmer approached.

Suddenly, everything went white.

* * *

"Are you all right?"

Mari came to with a blinding headache and a ringing in her ears. She realized she was lying on the floor against the wall inside the entrance to the Hall of the Elements, and Mirabelle was leaning over her.

"Can you walk?" the older woman asked. "I need you on your feet."

Mari nodded and feebly began to try and find her footing. The elder wizard didn't seem to have the strength to help her and was barely getting herself to standing. Brelyna came rushing into the building.

"Mari, are you all right?" she asked as she knelt down beside her friend. "I was in the courtyard when there was an explosion, and one of the others said they thought they saw you come in here a few moments before."

Again, Mari nodded, though it hurt her head, and Brelyna took her arm and helped her to her feet.

"I think I'm okay," she muttered as she stretched her sore limbs. Had she been thrown across the room?

"Ancano is doing something with that thing . . . the Eye," Mirabelle stated. They all cast their gazes to where the Altmer seemingly hadn't moved from his previous position, despite the explosion. "We can't stop him. I haven't seen Savos since the explosion. He must've been blown clear, and he may be injured."

"He's outside," Brelyna replied sadly. "It was what drew my attention. The doors flew open, and he . . ."

She trailed off, and Mirabelle was immediately rushing outside with the two elves behind her.

"Are you all right?" Tolfdir asked, approaching them as they exited the hall. "What happened in there?"

Mirabelle didn't stop to chat and took off in a jog toward a crowd gathered near the statue, so Mari answered the old man's question.

"It's Ancano," she explained. "He's done something with the Eye."

"By the Nine," Tolfdir gasped. "He's responsible for this? The Arch-Mage's death?"

"The Arch-Mage is dead?" Mari asked in disbelief, just as a sob rang through the courtyard. She looked over to see the crowd had split, and Mirabelle was now kneeling beside the prone and mangled body of Savos Aren.

"There's more," Tolfdir answered sadly. "Something's happened to Winterhold. It must be whatever Ancano did. You must get out there and make sure it's safe. Quickly now, quickly! I'll tend to Mirabelle."

Mari exchanged a glance with Brelyna, and they rushed out of the courtyard and across the causeways to the town. They arrived, along with several of the College's professors, to see dozens of orbs flittering amongst the buildings and attacking the villagers who were running for their lives, seeking shelter.

Mari observed the scene for a moment and then barked out an order. She didn't care that she ranked lower than the others who had come to help, aside from Brelyna. She knew what to do. Her mother had told her tales of these magic anomalies - an ancient magic.

"They have frost magicka!" she yelled. "Kill them with fire!"

The group of mages rushed around the village, covering the townsfolk as they made their way inside and destroying any of the anomalies they came across. When it finally appeared they had been victorious, Mari and the others stood recovering for a moment at the end of the causeway.

"Thank you," one of the town's guards stated with a slight bow toward Mari. "We could not have defeated them without the College's help. The Jarl will hear of this."

Mari smiled at him and could only hope the people didn't realize the cause of the attack had also originated within the College.

After catching their breath, Arniel, the professor she had aided in Saarthal before the horrendous discovery, volunteered to stay within the town for a while to make sure no more returned, and the others made the return trip across the causeway.

Mari noticed the Arch-Mage's body had already been removed, and she wondered if there would be a funeral. She didn't know how the College grieved. After all, it was like a world and culture all its own.

Mirabelle stood in the lobby of the Hall of Elements. The gate to the main hall had been closed again to prevent anyone from entering, but nothing else seemed to have changed. "Is everything out there all right?" the older woman asked.

Mari nodded. "Winterhold is safe for now."

"Wish I could say the same for us," Mirabelle sighed. Her eyes were red, and it was clear she had been crying. Mari wondered just how close she and the Arch-Mage had been. "Tolfdir and I can try and keep this contained. You need to get your hands on the Staff of Magnus. Now. If the Augur says it's necessary to defeat this, than we must have it. I've got to stay here, and I need someone I trust to do this. You've earned my trust, and apparently, the Psijics' trust as well. There is no one else I would want to retrieve it."

"I hope it actually helps," Mari muttered, gazing in at the Eye.

"If the stories about it are true, if it can really absorb a tremendous amount of power, maybe we can break through Ancano's magic," Mirabelle offered.

"Then I'm off to Labyrinthian," Mari sighed.

Brelyna gasped.

Mirabelle's eyes widened. "What? Are you sure? The staff is there?"

Mari nodded.

"That can't be a coincidence," Mirabelle muttered.

"What are you talking about?" Mari asked.

"The Arch-Mage - he . . . he gave me something just a little while ago. Earlier today, actually," she replied. She pulled a torc out of her bag. "Savos gave this to me just a few hours before he died. He told me it was from Labyrinthian and that I would know what to do with it when the time came. I think he meant this for you." She held the torc out to Mari, and the Altmer took it gently in her hands. "I'm not sure why, but there was something very personal about it for him. Take it and get out of here, and take this as well," she handed Mari the amulet that the former Arch-Mage had always worn around his neck. "It is enchanted to increase your natural supply of magicka. You may need it on this journey. Labyrinthian is a dangerous place. Bring back that Staff before Ancano brings the whole College down around us. Who knows what will happen to the rest of Skyrim if he's successful."

Mari crossed the courtyard with Brelyna. She tied the amulet around her neck and studied the metal torc she held. There was no way it could actually be worn, it was too small for that, so she wasn't certain of the purpose of it, but if Savos said it came from Labyrinthian and somehow knew she'd be going back there, she would bring it with her.

"I'm coming with you," Brelyna stated as they entered the dormitory. When it looked like Mari would argue, she continued. "You can get all the help from your talented sisters that you want, but you told me they aren't skilled in magicka. You're heading to Labyrinthian. Do you know what that is?"

Mari shook her head.

"It's an ancient city," her friend replied. "I don't know the history before Arch-Mage Shalidor, but he turned the ruins into a labyrinth to test potential arch-mages. It's full of traps and wards and who knows whatever else of the magical nature. You need someone with you whose skills fall beyond those of sword wielding and archery."

Mari sighed but nodded. "Alright," she relented. "We head for Windhelm at first light. Hopefully Elain hasn't left again yet."


	19. Recruits

Chapter Seven: Recruits (Turdas/Fridas, the 27th/28th of Sun's Dusk)

It was clear that Brelyna hated Windhelm. The duo had left Winterhold on a carriage early that morning, and it was now early afternoon, yet the sky was overcast, making the city appear even darker and gloomier than it felt, and the wind was bitter. Several rude statements had already been made toward Brelyna due to her race, but most would stop when they recognized Mari, who had become well known as Elain's sister during her previous stay in the city.

Much to Mari's relief, once again, Elain answered the door to her home when they knocked and quickly ushered the two women inside the warm building.

"I'm surprised to see you again so soon," she told her sister as she watched the other two women remove their cloaks and snow-covered boots. "I figured you'd be dealing with this Eye stuff."

Mari sighed and collapsed into a chair. "Oh I am. That's why I'm here," she explained. "I need to ask for your help again. We're off to Labyrinthian. This is my friend and fellow Apprentice, Brelyna Maryon. Bre, my sister, Elain."

"Pleasure to meet you," the Dunmer commented, studying the other Altmer.

"You as well," Elain replied. "Of course I'll help you. What is this place we're headed to?"

"All I know is what Brelyna has told me," her sister replied motioning for her friend to tell the story.

"The Arch-Mage Shalidor built a labyrinth deep within a set of Nordic ruins located there," Brelyna supplied. "He used it as a test for potential arch-mages to determine their worth and is supposedly littered with magical traps and what not. Draugr and other beasties. Folks even claim it's haunted. I'm told people avoid the road traveling near it at all costs and take the long road around to Morthal."

Elain nodded, taking in the information.

"I'm coming along so that Mari has some backup with magical knowledge, but I suggested she get as much muscle as she could for this trip," Brelyna continued. "This is a dangerous venture, much more so than anything either of us have undertaken before."

Elain and Mari exchanged a glance, both thinking about their previous dealings with the Thalmor and weren't quite convinced, but they agreed it was better to be safe than sorry.

"Rest up then," Elain stated as she stood. "We'll head off to Whiterun tomorrow and recruit some Companions."

"Will Aerenwen be at home?" Mari asked.

"I'm not certain," her sister replied. "I helped her in Riften, and last I knew, the old scholar we found hiding there was trying to figure out just where some temple was located. Apparently the return of the dragons means Alduin has returned, and it's going to be the end of the world if our dear sister doesn't stop it. He seemed to think the answer was in the temple, and it sounded like they thought it was out in The Reach, but she could be home. I know she tries not to stay away for too long at a time because of Hamish. If not, I wouldn't be surprised if we could talk Farkas at least into joining us, and definitely Aela if she's around."

Mari nodded. She'd take all the help she could get.

* * *

Lydia answered their sister's door with a smile and directed the group toward Jorrvaskr. Partway there, they were accosted by a small Nord boy who rushed toward them with shrieks of "Aunty Elain! Aunty Mari!"

Both women laughed and lifted him into hugs, placing soft kisses atop his head before he ran off to play with his friends some more.

They found Aela and Aerenwen in the mead hall, and after being greeted exuberantly by all who knew them, were led down to the Harbinger's office where they could speak privately.

Mari made introductions, and the group sat down. As it turned out, they were lucky they had arrived when they did. The two women had just returned from The Reach the night before and were planning to strike off for High Hrothgar the following morning, looking for answers as to how the ancient Nords defeated Alduin.

"What's going on, Mari?" Aerenwen asked. "You look as exhausted and overwhelmed as I am. Is it more with this discovery you made in Saarthal?"

Mari sighed and went into the story, explaining to her sister that when she had returned to the College, they had brought the Eye up from the ruins and placed it right in the main hall. She told her about the discussions with their uncle and the Augur and of the trip she and Elain had taken to Mzulft. Finally, she reached the part in her tale where the Thalmor were once again the problem and told her of the Arch-Mage's death.

"Where is it that you need to go to retrieve this staff?" Aerenwen asked when she was finished.

"Labyrinthian," Mari replied.

Aela looked startled at that news.

"What is the history of that place?" Mari asked curiously. "Brelyna only knows the magical portion of it in more recent times, that Arch-Mage Shalidor built a labyrinth within some Nordic ruins."

"It was originally built as a temple to the dragons ages ago when they ruled Skyrim," the huntress explained. "It grew over time into a great city and was Skyrim's capital when the Dragon Cult held the most power. Bromjunaar, it was called. All of the most powerful dragon priests would gather there to meet, and it is said that powerful relics of theirs are still hidden within the ruins.

"After the Dragon War, it was abandoned. Ages later, this arch-mage you spoke of, Shalidor, built his labyrinth deep within the ruins of Bromjunaar, and it became known as Labyrinthian. Some say he built his labyrinth to hide powerful relics he had stolen, but, as your friend told you, he began to use it to test out the abilities of mages. The tests were brutal, and eventually, it was deemed too barbaric and again fell into disuse." Aela sighed. "Before the Oblivion Crisis, from what I've read, people would make pilgrimages to Labyrinthian in part of a journey that followed the Eternal Champion's steps. Now people generally avoid the place. It's cursed."

Elain chuckled. "Sounds like just the place we'll all feel right at home."

Mari frowned. "I hate this. I hate every minute of it. I wasn't built for adventure like you guys. I want my books and my alchemy table and my spells. I don't get off on dungeon delving like you two and Nesta."

Aerenwen wrapped an arm around her smaller sister. "I don't like what I have been called to do or the responsibility put upon my shoulders either, Mari, but its ours. We were brought to Skyrim and followed the paths we have for a reason. This is your story and your battle, but we will be with you every step of the way."

Mari shook her head. "I can't ask you to do that. You need to head to High Hrothgar and find out what this shout is you need to learn. You're in the process of saving the world."

"So are you," Aerenwen argued. "That Eye, or whatever it is, that was found is extremely powerful. If it cannot be contained within the College, who knows what will happen to the rest of Tamriel? Not to mention, right now, it's in the hands of one Thalmor. Where will we be if it falls into the hands of them all? As far as I'm concerned, this battle is just as worthy as the one I am fighting. I will help you, just as I know you would help me should I come across a need for magicka in my quest."

Mari smiled and rested her head on her elder sister's shoulder.

"Besides, it's an ancient Nordic ruin," Elain interjected. "There's apt to be a word wall in there. You'll get to see the cool thing that happens when our sister learns a new shout."

This made Mari smile a bit.

"And as linked as Bromjunaar was with the Dragon Cult, perhaps we'll find some useful information there in reference to all this dragon business," Aela added.

Mari sighed and nodded against her sister's shoulder. She had help and people to watch her back. She didn't feel quite so overwhelmed anymore.

 **Author's Note: That is the end of the fourth part of Mari's story. Next, we'll catch up with Nesta and how all the Thieves' Guild business is going.**


End file.
